Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero
by True Glint
Summary: Digimon Tamers sequel, strongly advise having a decent knowledge of Season 3 before reading. Rated changed to T as M seemed too strong. Romance/Hurt/Comfort/Adventure/Humour/Other things...
1. Prologue

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Prologue

First of all, I do not own the Digimon franchise.

This is my first story I have written, so reviews are very much appreciated. It would be good to know if I'm doing things right or wrong for future reference.

Speaking of references, all the information in this story was taken from Season 3 and the Digimon Wiki, so apologies if some thing are different to what you expect.

Basically this story is my version of a Season 3 sequel, or a Tamers 2 as the title suggests. Season 3 is by far my favourite and this is a perfect opportunity to carry that on. I advise you to have a decent knowledge of Season 3 before reading this. All of the original characters and concepts are not fully explained in my story as they are all ready explained/developed in the original series. The two films aren't required for this, nor are any other seasons, seeing as Tamers is pretty much a stand alone season like the others after it.

A few things to sort out before I begin...

This takes place one year after the D-Reaper incident (with the Runaway Locomon somewhere as well, but I haven't seen that yet) with Takato, Henry and Rika as the only tamers featured in this story.

Ryo is in the digital world playing guardian/balance keeper (all those megas from Calumon's Shining Digivolution need to be monitored).

Kazu, Kenta and Jerry (with their partners) are not in this story and I have no plans for that to change yet. I will see how it progresses and decide if they need some love or not.

HYPNOS is still around, but they now just monitor bioemergences and relay the locations to the tamers. We all know how successful HYPNOS was at stopping digimon, so I made them learn from their mistakes. And yes, Yamaki is still an ass.

Impmons tamers are around, but they are still too young for any fighting. Impmon does get some time here, but without his tamers around to help him fight he can't really do too much.

Apart from that, I wish you all luck on the journey we are about to embark on. I advise you to keep all arms and legs inside at all times, and I'm going to eat my cookies.

Please enjoy...


	2. Chapter 1

Digimon Tamers 2:The Rise of Zero

Chapter 1

He ran.

Just like he did this morning, just like yesterday. Just like he began 2 weeks ago. Always running, never stopping, except when he wasn't being chased. A situation he hadn't been in for 2 days now. No rest, no food, just one foot in front of the other at speed. Running. Always running.

He risked a glance behind, his pursuer for the day was still there. He had lost count of how many different pursuers he's had, but pursuers they were, and chase they did.

Today's pursuer could be described as big, loud, and scary. Purple fur covered most of it's body, with white fur on it's hands and feet. 2 wings sprouted from it's back and a powerful tail swung behind. Red claws tore up the ground it ran across, as red teeth flashed inside it's white, gaping maw. 2 yellow, merciless eyes hungrily gazed at him, while it's mouth taunted him with words of fear.

"Keep running little one, I'm not tired yet."

It had been deliberately slowing it's pace as his own strength waned lower. But he had to keep running.

He had tried to change course, turning towards the woods in hope of losing his pursuer, but each time he tried, he was attacked, forcing him to turn back. There was no cover on the plains he ran across, no hills to break his pursuer's sight. No respite.

Now he just ran, slower and slower, but running nonetheless.

It was at this point that he felt...something. A tingling sensation, like static, in his ears. He looked round, and saw in the air, in front and to his left, a slight distortion. It was like everything was sucked into a single point. Not by a lot, but just noticeable. He could sense something there. Something through there. He could sense safety. Freedom. Rest.

He angled towards it, thoughts of hope in his mind. His pursuer saw his change in direction, and sent an attack his way, trying to herd him back into line.

"Power Metal!"

He jumped up at the sound of the incoming attack. The ground below and behind him exploded, sending dirt and grass high into the air along with him. He tucked himself into a ball and rolled on the floor once he landed. Immediately after, he untucked himself and continued running without losing speed.

He saw the distortion had become significantly closer, probably because of the blast. His pursuer was running faster to close the gap it unwillingly formed between them, cursing as it did so.

"Come back here you little wretch! You think you can escape me?"

He didn't know that answer. Even if he did, he wouldn't say so. The distortion was close now. He felt his fur stand on end, his tail billowing to twice it's usual thickness. Closer it came. Closer was the sense of freedom.

Behind him, he heard exactly what he didn't want to hear.

"Cannonball!"

He was so close to his goal, he couldn't just give up after all this time. He had to do something, anything, to ensure his efforts weren't in vain.

So he jumped. He jumped like he did the last time he was attacked, tucking himself into a ball at the peak of his height. He felt the attack race towards him. He felt, and heard, it slam into the ground beneath him. He felt the tip of his tail engulfed by intense heat, singeing it. A small wisp of smoke trailed from his now burnt tail as he was thrown into the distortion, and then everything went white.


	3. Chapter 2

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 2

"Sir, I'm picking up another wild one, and it's moving fast. Faster than we have ever seen."

"Send a tracer, let's see what we have here."

The HYPNOS centre was alive with digimon monitoring personnel, with Yamaki leading the operation. Ever since the D-Reaper incident, they have been forced to trust the safety of Shinjuku city to three digimon partnered with human tamers. A situation no-one really wanted, but it was the only one that actually worked.

"The target is moving too fast, I can't get a lock!" Riley, one of the operators of the HYPNOS scanning systems, exclaimed. It was a rare time to hear Riley lose her cool, and it gave everyone present a reason for concern.

Yamaki, however, wasn't known for keeping calm.

"What do you mean! You can't get a lock? Try harder!" Yamaki practically screamed at his operator.

"The computer can't track it! It's simply moving way too fast!"

"Bioemergence imminent! Bioemergence imminent!" Alarms screamed across the room. That definitely got Yamaki's attention.

"Call the tamers, give them the bioemergence coordinates. And tell them to move now!"

* * *

Weightless. Motionless.

These were what he now felt, on top if his exhaustion and pain.

Slowly, the whiteness had gained definition, fading to a deep bluish purple. Lines of blue numbers and letters flew around him, forming a rough tunnel of alphanumeric characters. He moved through the tunnel without conscious effort or control, almost as if he was being pulled along by an unseen and unfelt force.

He began to pick up a white light appearing in his direction of travel, growing in both size and intensity. His journey seemed to quicken, picking up speed even though he felt no sense of motion. The intensity of the now rapidly approaching light forced his eyes shut, and so he waited for whatever it was he hurtled towards.

* * *

They had just received the call from HYPNOS informing them of the approaching digimon. All they were told is where it was planned to bioemerge, and that it was fast but with a very small digital signal. This normally meant one of three possibilities. Either it was an In-training digimon, which was a rare occurrence or it was a weakened digimon of unknown level, which normally lead to a quick and easy fight.

Or it could be one of the very rare digimon that are able to mask some of their signal, giving the false appearance of a weaker form, thus gaining a potential advantage over those who approach without preparation. Such digimon have appeared before but luckily nothing disastrous had happened as a result.

Takato ran alongside his partner Guilmon shortly after meeting up with Henry and Terriermon on route. Ahead, he could see Rika and her partner Renamon preparing to intercept them on their mad dash to the target location. He called out to them even though they knew each other were there.

"Hey, you two! Over here!" Takato yelled.

"We can see you already, gogglehead!" Rika taunted in response. She never did stop calling him that.

They met up as they turned down a side street. Ahead, the characteristic blue beam had already shot into the air, marking the point of bioemergence. As they got nearer an explosion erupted from the beam, sending a thick fog up into the air. The digital field formed faster than they had ever seen.

Shielding their eyes with sunglasses or goggles, they breached the field and prepared for battle. Henry whipped out his digivice and scanned for the digimon they were here for, and found nothing.

A small hole appeared in the side of a shop to their right. They all saw the hole. They all felt the small, dark object fly past them from the hole, and they all heard the loud crash of something breaking glass and concrete to their right.

They ran to the source of the noise and discovered a small hole in the wall of an office building, small enough for Terriermon to crawl through.

"Terriermon?" Henry merely pointed to the hole as he called his partner.

"Ugh, ugh, fine!" And so a reluctant Terriermon crawled through the hole to investigate, while the others used a more conventional method of entry, namely a door.

* * *

Pain flared through his already battered body. He didn't expect the light to bring any pain, let alone this much. He struggled to his feet as he heard noises coming from the direction he flew from. With thoughts only of survival, he cast his eyes around for an escape route.

A strange metal slatted plate hung loosely off a wall to his right, revealing a small metal tunnel large enough for him to squeeze through. Seeing no other alternatives, he darted for it, ripping the plate off completely before diving into the tunnel to escape his new pursuers. Running yet again.

Terriermon heard a crash of metal striking the floor, and spun to his left in time to see a vent cover on the floor, and a dark shadow disappear into the ventilation system.

"It's gone into the air conditioning ducts!" Terriermon shouted as the others emerged into the room. "I'll follow it, since you were gonna make me anyway."

"Good idea Terriermon. Rika and Renamon, go outside and track it's movements. Guilmon and I will go to the roof and stop it escaping that way. Henry, you try to follow it through the building as well."

"On it." Came the group response. Being the unofficial leader, Takato always had some form of plan, be it good or bad.

He was running again, as fast as he could given the tight space he was now navigating. Running was something he was really getting fed up with. But now was not the time for that, he had to escape yet again.

He heard his newest pursuer slowly gaining on him as he moved through the tunnels. Up. Left. Right. It didn't matter. He was losing ground.

He panicked. He looked for another escape route, and found another slatted plate. He charged towards it and plowed through into another spacious area, similar to the first one but without the hole he made on entry.

He bolted for a large opening and ran down a much longer area, not as wide as the others, as he heard something leave the tunnels.

"Damn it! It's out of the vents! I can't keep up with it now." Terriermon yelled, catching the attention of the keen hearing Renamon.

"Looks like I'm up now. It's on the fifth floor."

"Ok, me and Guimon will head it off" came Takato's reply as both of them set off to catch the digimon.

Renamon phased into the building through a window, took a whiff of the scent belonging to the digimon, and took off through the corridors after it. She easily closed the distance between them, and they both knew it.

He sensed yet another pursuer join the chase, this one much faster, and decided the tunnels were the best place to be now. He frantically searched for another slatted plate and, on finding one, ripped if off the wall with his teeth. He dived into it and continued his manic running.

Renamon was not happy. The digimon had eluded her by returning to the vents, easily too small for her to enter. She growled deep in her throat.

"It's back in the vent system, heading...up" She said as she tracked it's movements.

Takato and Guilmon stopped dead, spun around and ran back to the roof, followed by Henry and Terriermon shortly after. Renamon retrieved Rika and phased onto the roof with the others.

He bolted towards what looked to be a metal wall of horizontal slats going up and down a vertical tunnel that was larger in size than the others he had ran through. He jumped at it and latched onto the slats before pulling himself up towards what he could smell as fresh air.

The tamers waited at the top of the air conditioning extraction vent that the digimon was scaling, preparing for a potential fight. All three digimon could sense it's presence now, and they eagerly awaited it's arrival.

He stopped. He was so close to freedom, yet he stopped. He could sense others. The ones who chased him most likely, and they were waiting for him. So he stopped. He had no other ideas left. He was trapped.


	4. Chapter 3

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 3

Renamon waited. She could sense the digimon had stopped in the extraction vent in front of them.

_'Maybe it can sense us too...' _It made sense, she realised, for it to be able to sense them. Especially considering it had known when to exit and re-enter the vents to have a better chance of escaping.

She spread her arms out in front of Rika and Henry who were stood beside her and took a few paces back, forcing the two humans to do the same. The others saw her action and did the same without comment.

_'Come on out you little pest...'_

He was frantically trying to find a new escape route. Up was a trap and he couldn't get back into the horizontal tunnels he previously left. The only other option was...down? He cast his eyes downwards, becoming slightly dizzy with the height he was at.

The metal tunnel continued down quite a way, until he saw something different. Where the vertical tunnel ended, it curved away from the horizontal openings. That meant one thing to him, the tunnel continued in a different direction.

Seeing a new chance at escape he began to descend, only to stop as soon as he started. If he climbed down, the others would sense him and cut him off again. He couldn't climb fast enough. He cast his eyes down again as a new plan formed in his mind. He didn't like it, but he had no other choice.

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. In one smooth motion he curled his tail around himself, flattened his ears to his head and pushed off of the slats he was holding on to.

Renamon's ears twitched. She felt the digimon moving, but going down rather than up. Going down, fast. She notified the others before they took off down the stairs. She cursed under her breath. There was no other way for her to descend fast enough without moving too far away. She had to use the stairs.

He felt air rush past him as gravity took control of him. He felt his back press against the opposite side of the tunnel as he fell, causing him to rotate. Exactly what he hoped for. He sensed the others, but he was moving too fast for them to catch him now. He was almost free.

He reached the curve in the tunnel and his speed caused him to angle his trajectory to match the curve, now heading horizontal. He felt himself hit something hard, and then he was out. But as quickly as he left the tunnel, he slammed into something else. Something brittle that shattered on impact with the sound of metallic rain. He endured a few lesser impacts before one final, larger collision and coming to a rolling stop.

He quickly got to his feet as he felt the others closing in on him, searching for a new place to hide. A slightly raised circular plate in the floor caught his attention and he quickly lifted it before scurrying inside the hole it covered, allowing the plate to fall back in place.

* * *

Takato and the others emerged from the office building and rounded the corner towards the ventilation intakes. He noticed that the vent cover of the intake the digimon was in had been knocked off by a sizeable impact, and a smashed window in the shop opposite. Looking through the broken window, he saw signs of something that had flown through the window, knocked a few things over that were on display to customers and barrelled through a side door opposite the window.

Quickly deciding that the digimon had caused this, Takato set off around the shop to hopefully locate the digimon that had plowed through.

It was Renamon that noticed the faint wisp of a data trail that snaked from the window to the opened door of the shop, and her that noticed the same trail disappear underneath a sewer access cover. There was no way that even she could track anything down there. Too many overpowering smells could easily mask any trace of the digimon. However, she couldn't pinpoint the significance of that data trail. After all she could only see it if she phased out, and neither of the other two digimon of their group had the ability to phase out at all.

"Looks like it's escaped. We will never track it down there now." Henry sighed, after Renamon had explained what she had seen. "We better call Yamaki and see if he can find a way of tracking it. Until then I guess we should go home."

"I don't want to abandon the search, but it looks like we have no choice." Takato also sighed.

"Momentai, we will find it next time." Terriermon offered, trying to lighten the mood.

They all eventually agreed that there was nothing more to do, except decide who got the short straw of telling Yamaki they failed to stop the digimon.

* * *

He immediately regretted coming down here. The smell was unbearable. But at least he was safer now. He still ran, but he wasn't being chased this time. He just wanted out of this foul smelling place.

He spotted another circular cover above him after a few minutes of running and shoved his small weight against it, the pain in his side flaring briefly. The plate lifted just enough for him to squeeze out before it slammed closed again. He was greeted with fresh air, and a new reason to run.

He was out in the open, not something he wanted right now. So he bolted towards the nearest cover he could find. He also spotted what looked to be an easy way to scale one of these large structures that surrounded him, so he instinctively made his way towards it and up the side of the structure.

Upon reaching the top he noticed the absence of noise and foul smells. Here was as good a place as any to hide and rest. He crawled under a strange metal box that was producing a low, relaxing humming noise that lulled him. He laid himself down as the last of his strength left him, his eye lids becoming heavy.

* * *

They were half way home when Renamon stopped, her ears and nose twitching. That scent was back. She phased out and saw the now familiar data trail, greater in strength, leading from another sewer access cover to an external fire escape of a ten story building.

She quickly informed the others who raced to the stairs while she took a faster, more direct approach. Compressing her powerful legs she sprang herself up onto a balcony above her, before jumping again to a second one above that. She scaled the building in seconds, landing on the flat roof with a soft thud. She quickly scanned the area for the data trail and saw it end underneath an air conditioning control unit, with a soft blue glow.

He sensed the arrival of another and panic once again gripped him. He didn't have the strength to move anymore. They were going to find him and there was nothing he could do.

Renamon moved closer to the unit. Poking out from underneath she noticed the white tip of a tail leading to a dark silhouette, framed by the blue glow. She saw the fear in the digimon's composure. The tail twitched nervously, the shadow of the main body quivered and trembled, and the frantic breathing patterns betrayed exhaustion and outright panic. Seeing it from the digimon's perspective, she realised that she must not be helping it's fear.

She tried to speak softly and in a non-threatening way, but her choice of words didn't help.

"I know you are here."

He didn't move. Even if he had the energy, he couldn't. Paralysed by fear, he could barely keep himself from screaming out. The tone of her voice, he could tell it was female, seemed soft enough but the words were far from friendly.

Renamon saw that her choice of words wasn't exactly helpful. The shadow still quivered madly and it whipped it's tail round itself in a final act of security. Deciding that this digimon wasn't a threat and was simply terrified, she tried a different approach.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm simply here to help." She spoke in the same smooth voice she used before and watched as the digimon's quivering lessened slightly. "My name is Renamon."

A quiet, halting voice emanated from the shadow, fearful and strained from exhaustion.

"Re...na...mon?"

The voice was unmistakably male and very young. He must be an In-training level, which would explain the fear and desire to run away. She responded with much more care now, he didn't need any more reasons to feel fear.

"Yes, I'm here to help you. You don't need to be afraid anymore. You don't need to run anymore."

The name alone was enough to dispel his fear of her but her next words gave him a reason to trust her, to believe her. His weakened state couldn't last much longer, he needed help.

"Help...me...please...Help..."

Renamon instantly knelt down next to the unit he was under and watched as a small form desperately pulled itself towards her. She gasped under her breath at the sight of the digimon, and gasped again when she saw his state. A patch of his left side was glowing blue, flecks of fur dissolving from the edge as he slowly destabilised in front of her. A trail of data slowly extracted itself from the wound and she knew he didn't have long left, if she didn't get him help soon.

He collapsed in front of her, loosing the last of his strength just from moving. She picked him up in her arms just as the others arrived on the roof behind her. They all saw her holding something as Rika called out.

"Hey Renamon! Um, what is that you are holding?"

Renamon slowly turned, revealing the small form in her arms.

Everyone gasped. In Renamon's arms, was a black coloured Viximon.


	5. Chapter 4

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 4

He awoke slowly, each sense taking turns to reach full awareness. He listened to the unfamiliar noises around him. He took in the strange smells that came his way. He felt the softness underneath him. He slowly opened his eyes, squinting at the brightness of the light.

He was in a strange white area. White walls. White ceiling. White floor. Numerous screens were dotted in this area, their readouts unknown to him. Still searching, he saw a familiar and comforting sight.

Next to him was Renamon, a sitting sentinel in this strange place. Her eyes were closed giving the appearance of sleeping, but the rise and fall of her chest betrayed her even to him. He shifted slightly, causing Renamon to open her eyes.

He immediately shrank back from her cold, emotionless stare. Doubt entered his mind on if she was actually helping, or merely waiting to delete him.

She looked at him, taking a little while to register his awakened state. She smiled at him, a warm reassuring smile that dispelled his doubt instantly. But he still cowered from her presence. She noticed this and tried to comfort him.

"Hello there, young Viximon. How are you feeling?"

He blinked his large red eyes in confusion. "Vi...xi...mon? What's a Viximon?"

Now it was her turn to be confused.

"Isn't that what you are?" Renamon asked. Had he lost his memory from being so close to death?

"I... I don't know what I am. I don't know where I am either."

"Do you know what I am?"

"Your a Renamon, right? That's what you called yourself, I think."

She relaxed slightly. He hadn't lost his memory. She had told him her name before he lost consciousness. But why didn't he know who or what he was?

"Well, as far as I can tell, you are a Viximon. A slightly strange colour, but still a Viximon, I think."

He puffed himself up, indignant at being called strange.

"I am not a strange colour! I'm the same colour as my parents and everyone else from...from..." He couldn't continue. Memories from the past few days flodded back to him, overwhelming him with emotion. He struggled to keep himself in control.

Renamon was baffled. _The right colour? Same as his parents? I've never seen or heard of any black versions of me or my kind. And others? How many others? From where? _It was then she noticed his struggle with his emotions. Something was paining him, deep inside. A hurt so great for someone so small, so young, it threatened to tear him apart. She reached out to him and pulled him close to her, comforting him in her embrace.

"It's alright. You're safe now. No one is going to hurt you here. I will protect you."

He slowly got his emotions back under control, his mind returning to thoughts of the present.

"Where am I?"

"You are in the Human world, or as some call it the Real world."

"I...I've heard of this place, I think. But how do I know of another world when I don't even know who I am?" Confusion again filled his mind as he tried to find answers to his questions.

"That I can't explain. But I can teach you of all the things you need to know in time, as long as I myself know the answers. That which I don't know I will try to find out for you. Is that okay?"

"Yes, thank you Renamon." He shifted in her arms, burying himself into her mane in an attempt to get more comfortable.

There was something about that gesture, and the way he said her name, that sparked something strange inside her. A sense of care developed for the little Viximon. Almost motherly in nature, yet not quite. Something else she couldn't identify.

She dismissed it. Whatever it was, it could wait. She contacted Rika through the telepathic link they shared and summoned her and the others inside the room.

The door opened as the tamers entered the room with their digimon, except Rika as Renamon was already present. They all kept a respectful distance from the Viximon so they didn't startle him with so many new faces.

The Viximon looked at the new company he had with fear. So many people, so many digimon. He pressed himself further into Renamon's mane, trying to hide from these new faces.

Renamon felt him push harder into her and instinctivly tightened her embrace slightly.

"It's okay. They're friends. They won't hurt you."

He poked his head out of her mane with his big red eyes gazing at the others, still fearful. But her hold on him was enough stop him thinking they were going to hurt him.

Rika spoke first. "Hey there! Are you feeling better?" The Viximon nodded slightly, a jerky nervous motion accompanied by a blink of affirmation. "That's good. My name is Rika." She then procceded to introduce the other members of the party. "That is Takato and his partner, Guilmon. That's Henry with Terriermon on his shoulder. And you have already met my partner, Renamon."

"Hey! Don't forget me! I'm here too ya know!"

"And that is Impmon. He is a little loud today I'm afraid." Rika continued.

"Loud? I can do loud!" Impmon shouted, casuing both Renamon and the Viximon to flatten their ears. His outburst had a more adverse effect on the young Viximon though, as he screwed his eyes shut and thrashed his tail. The begining of tears formed in his closed eyes, forcing their way out and down his cheeks.

Renamon glared at Impmon and motioned for Rika to remove him from the room. Rika unceramoniously kicked the little imp in the rear, forcing him out of the room for a little 'talk'.

Meanwhile, Renamon did her best to settle the Viximon to no avail. The loud disturbance was enough to upset him, and his earlier emotions and memories returned in his lapse of control.

So he cried. He cried from the noise of Impmon's shouting. He cried from losing the battle with himself inside. And he cried, mainly, from the sheer weight of everything that has happened to him. Of everything that was, is and never will be. Grieving for the loss he has endured, the pain he has suffered and the former life he will never live.

He cried for what seemed like an eternity, until exhaustion overtook him once again. And so he cried himself to sleep in Renamon's arms.


	6. Chapter 5

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 5

They left the HYPNOS building with Viximon still in Renamon's arms, sleeping soundly despite the earlier argument with Yamaki. After the scientists had said he was back to full health Yamaki had tried to seize the Viximon and send him back to the Digital world. This had not gone down well with Renamon who had yelled her objections right in Yamaki's face. The heated discussion eventually ended with Renamon agreeing to claim full responsibility for any damage the little digimon caused in exchange for her to continue looking after him.

Now they were on their way home. Impmon had tried to apologise for his outburst but the little guy just slept, although a slight smile was seen to grace his face at the time.

He stirred a little while after, opening his large red eyes to look around him.

"Looks like someone has finally woken up."

He turned his gaze upwards and met Renamon's own eyes, warm and caring. He shifted in her arms to get comfortable and turned his eyes to the others that walked with them.

"Where am I now?" Sleep still present in his voice

"We are taking you back with us, to our home, so you can rest properly." Rika responded.

Terriermon, now able to see Viximon properly, piped up.

"Doesn't he look cute?"

Viximon bristled at the remark, his eyes narrowing dangerously and a snarl forming on his lips.

"As much as I hate to admit it, you're right. He does look cute." Henry added.

"I am not cute!" Viximon yelled, power building inside him. Renamon noticed his change in behaviour, but never got the chance to react.

Terriermon, not known for knowing when to stop, continued.

"Aww, doesn't he look cute when he's angry?"

Viximon snapped. He leapt out of Renamon's arms and into the air. He gathered his power with a feral shout.

"Blood Shard!"

A red crystal formed inside his mouth before firing towards Terriermon, who managed to leap away before it struck the ground where he once stood, shattering and dissolving into the air.

Viximon landed on the ground and, seeing his attack miss, charged at Terriermon. He didn't get far before Renamon leapt upon him, pinning him to the floor.

"I think we shouldn't use that word around him anymore,"Rika observed. "He doesn't seem to like it."

They all agreed that was the best way to stop him attacking them and, reluctantly for Terriermon, refrained from pushing the issue further.

Henry suddenly realised something. He turned to Viximon, who was now back in Renamon's arms to stop him going after Terriermon, and raised his concern.

"Viximon? What was that attack you used?"

Viximon's only response was to turn around and face Renamon and close his eyes. She noted the way his breathing slowed as he did so, meaning he had fallen asleep. This concerned her. She was told he was in perfect health, so why was he so tired after such a short time?

Henry retrieved his digivice and pointed it towards Viximon and gasped at the readout.

"Blood Viximon. In-training virus type digimon. Special attack is Blood Shard. I thought that seemed odd. Viximon's attack is Poison Shard, not Blood Shard. That's not a normal Viximon!"

They all looked at him as they digested this information, while Blood Viximon just slept, oblivious to their reactions.

* * *

He awoke sometime later, lying on something soft and cosy. He could feel Renamon next to him, holding him close. He looked around his newest surroundings. He was in a dark room, a large double door set into one wall. The surface he was laying on was at floor height, while a single table sat on one side. Something on the table caught his attention. Three oval objects emitting a pleasant smell sat on the table, making his mouth water for reasons he couldn't explain. Curiosity aroused, he extracted himself from Renamon and made his way to the table.

He tried to jump up to it, but it was too high for him. Flicking his tail in annoyance, he searched for another way up. A small box sat off to one side. _'That should do it'_ he thought to himself as he walked over to it. Oblivious to the noise it created he pushed the box over to the table.

Renamon woke at the noise, but only opened her eyes. She saw Blood Viximon attempt to reach the table, obviously to get to the bread on top. She simply watched his efforts, deciding that he didn't need her help.

With the box in place, he jumped on top of it then onto the table. He warily made his way to the strange objects before sniffing them again. He touched one with the tip of his tail and waited for a response. Renamon smiled at this.

Having seen no reaction to his efforts, he snaked his tongue out and licked one of the ovals. The taste was pleasant enough, so he took one into his mouth in one go. He immediately decided he liked the taste and proceeded to devour the other two in the same manner as the first, before he rolled over onto his side with his hunger satisfied.

Renamon rose to her feet and walked over to him. She lightly scratched him behind his ears, making him emit a low purring noise until he registered what was going on.

"Hey! Don't do that!" Viximon bristled again. Renamon knew from her earlier experience not to anger him, so she did as he wished.

"Are you feeling better now?"

He sighed again with contentment and nodded. She still wanted to ask what it was that caused his emotional backlash earlier, and now was as good a time as any.

"What happened earlier, when you were crying?"

He cast his eyes down solemnly, pain clearly visible in his composure. He felt Renamon place an arm round him comfortingly and decided that the only way around this was to come out with it. He looked at her, red eyes meeting blue.

"I...I can't..."

"It's okay. If you don't want to tell me that's fine."

"No, I can't tell you. But I can show you. Clear your mind." Blood Viximon moved closer to her and placed his forehead to hers.

"Memory Share!"


	7. Chapter 6

Digimon Tamers 2:The Rise of Zero

Chapter 6

_Renamon saw a village laid out before her. One she has never seen before. Blood type digimon populated this place, everything from Blood Viximons to Blood Taomons roaming around. She saw this place through his eyes, his memories becoming her own._

_She saw two Blood Kyubimons in front of her, a look of care in their eyes that denoted them as her, or rather his, parents. She could feel the love they had for each other and her, a love so great that they would do anything for her._

_A sudden cry echoed in the distance, followed by several explosions and cries of pain. Panic sweeps through the villagers including her, even though she didn't feel threatened. It was his panic she felt as her own, his love for his parents that she felt as well._

_She watched as several large Mega level digimon breached the village perimeter, and fierce fighting from those trying to defend it. A one sided fight. She watched, horrified as the Mega levels plowed through the defenders with ease, and began targeting innocents along with those fighting. Other digimon joined the massacre, some Ultimate level and some Champion level, and absorbed the discarded data without a second thought._

_She heard her parents call her, though it wasn't her name. They told her to run, find the others and escape. She heard herself protest at the idea, saying she didn't want to leave them. They told her they would be right behind her, that they would meet her at the other edge of the village. She agreed, trusting her parents to be there as they said, and ran off to where she would meet them. She moved without running, he did that for her._

_She saw a group of Blood Viximons and a few Blood Renamons gathered at the edge of the village and headed for them. She turned around to wait for her parents and saw they hadn't moved. She called out to them and they turned to face her, solemn looks in their eyes. They told her they loved her with all their digital hearts, that they would always be with her. She watched as a large digimon loomed behind them and prepared to launch it's attack._

_She screamed at them to run, but they just turned around and launched their own, useless attacks against the digimon. She watched horrified as the digimon unleashed it's attack at her parents. She watched as it struck them full on. And she watched as they both dispersed into a cloud of data, that the digimon absorbed into itself._

_She screamed. She screamed at the brutal loss of her parents. She screamed at the hopelessness of the villagers around her. And she screamed at the digimon that casually moved to another group of villagers and destroyed them just as easily as her parents._

_She felt tears of grief pour down her face as a strong arm wrapped around her and lifted her up and away. She tried to break free, only to come face to face with the Blood Renamon who was carrying her away. She heard him tell her there was nothing she could have done, that staying here wouldn't help anyone. He told her she needed to run with the others, to ensure they escaped with her so their race could survive. He placed her back on the ground as she reluctantly accepted what he said, and she took off after the others. She glanced back to see the Blood Renamon who had carried her become engulfed in a fireball before he too dispersed into data, a Geogreymon casually absorbing him._

_Then the memories became scattered. Memories of running. Endless running. She noted how each memory showed the group gradually becoming smaller. Less and less digimon remained each time, until only she was left, still running. Always running._

_More recent memories came to her. Another chase, this time with a purple dinosaur digimon she couldn't identify. A powerful attack that launched her through a portal she was running towards. Great pain as she entered the real world, slamming into a building. Running through air ducts of a ventilation system. Hopelessness at being trapped halfway up a vent. A desperate attempt to escape that caused greater pain and the severe injury in her side. An intense, foul smell of the sewer system she escaped into. A brief sense of safety under the air conditioning control unit. The fear at being discovered. The vague recollection of the name Renamon. The trust and relief of someone helping her. The confusion in the white room. The struggle with her emotions. The shout from Impmon that set her off. The resentment of being called 'cute'. The feeling of food after so long._

_The memories ended as her mind became her own once more. Clarity of everything she experienced through him washed over her. The real her. She understood his pain, understood his fear and understood his trust in her. She vowed to protect him from whatever came their way. She vowed to help him wherever he needed her. And she vowed to avenge his parents if she ever had the chance to. She would never leave him, never betray him._

_She opened her eyes..._


	8. Chapter 7

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 7

Renamon opened her eyes and found herself standing in front of the table. Blood Viximon was no longer there. She turned around and saw him laying on the bed, fast asleep. Only now did she understand the reason for his frequent need for sleep. She admired him. She couldn't believe he had ran so far and for so long without sleep or food, and still carry on despite everything that had happened to him.

She went to him and laid herself down on the bed, holding him closer than she did the last time. Tears came to her eyes as she remembered the memories than were not her own. She grieved for the loss of his parents, for she felt it just as much as he did. She cried for a few more minutes, trying her hardest not to wake him, until sleep finally took her. Her last thought was of him.

* * *

The tamers and their digimon, with the additions of Impmon and Calumon, were gathered next to a river for some well earned rest. Renamon had just finished explaining what she had experienced last night to the tamers, while the other digimon played tag on the river bank. Impmon however chose to stay with the tamers. He wanted to know as much as he could about the little guy, and his heart actually ached after hearing his tale, while Renamon held Blood Viximon in her arms.

The tamers were in a mixture of awe and sorrow from hearing about Blood Viximon's life before he came here. It was Henry that voiced their joint concerns.

"Do you think...that the D-Reaper incident caused this? That when Calumon digivolved all those digimon..." The though was shared by all, and none of them wanted to admit that it was a possibility. Were they really responsible for the attack on his village? For the death of his parents and so many others?

Takato, suddenly gaining a vast amount of wisdom, spoke up.

"No, it wasn't our fault." The others looked at him. "That power was given to them by the Sovereigns through Calumon. How they choose to use it is not our doing. There was no possible way we could have considered this outcome, and nothing we can do now to change it. All we can do is make sure Blood Viximon lives the life he deserves to have."

They all agreed on this and sank into silence to contemplate the past events. It was at this point Renamon felt Blood Viximon shift into awareness for the second time that morning.

"Honestly, I've never known anyone as lazy as you!" Renamon said with a smirk. Rika noted how much Renamon had changed since he arrived. She seemed more open, more vocal. She also didn't seem as concerned with hiding her emotions either. It almost seemed like he had changed her completely.

Blood Viximon opened his eyes and gazed at the others with a sleepy smile. His ears swivelled towards the sound of the other digimon playing, and his eyes soon followed. He returned his vision back to the tamers when he smelt a very enticing odour, one that seemed familiar to last night and more he couldn't recognise. But he knew it was food.

Seeing his hungry gaze turn to their food, Impmon sprang to action before anyone else. He picked up a couple of bread rolls and made his way to Blood Viximon, offering a roll to him as he did so. Renamon was a little shocked at this, Impmon never was one for forward gestures of helpfulness. In fact he was normally rude and obnoxious, a trait that had lessened after the D-Reaper incident but remained anyway.

Blood Viximon eyed the roll hungrily and ate without hesitation, only to receive a second once he had finished. This one followed the same path as the first. Once he had finished eating he thanked Impmon, who simply smiled an uncharacteristically non-malicious smile and a wave of his arm as he sat down.

"How ya feelin' little buddy?" Impmon inquired. His choice of words confused Blood Viximon. Not being used to the strange way he spoke didn't help either, but he caught the general idea.

"Much better now thank you." For someone so young he had a high level of politeness.

He returned his gaze to the other digimon that were still playing by the river. With his hunger quelled he began to follow their movements. Renamon noticed where his attention was directed and smiled.

"You can join them if you want. I'm sure they would be happy to play with you."

"Really?" he asked. He suddenly turned his head down in a sad gesture. "It's been so long, I don't think I can remember how to play..."

"Well I'm sure they can teach you if you want to join in."

He perked up at that statement. He wriggled himself free and jumped down to the floor. After setting one last look at Renamon, who nodded in approval, he bounded off to the others.

Guilmon saw him first and stopped their game.

"Hey! You wanna play too?"

Blood Viximon nodded. "You will have to teach me first, but yeah. I'll join in if you'll let me."

"Of course!"

So they taught him the basics of tag and began. He immediately thanked his fast speed as he ran from Guilmon, who was labelled 'it' at that moment. He heard others shout the word "tag!" a few times before he felt someone come after him. It was Terriermon.

"Your turn buddy! I'll tag you yet!"

Blood Viximon laughed, a sound no one had heard before and all hoped they could hear again. "You'll have to catch me first!"

And so the chase began. Terriermon eventually gave up trying to tag him and went after someone else. He heard a few triumphant yells of "tag!" from behind, until he sensed he was someone's target. Guilmon barrelled towards him and clipped his tail with a claw.

"Tag!"

Blood Viximon stopped. The others backed away from him as he searched for his target. Terriermon caught his eye, taunting him into a chase. He accepted.

He charged towards him and leapt forwards, tail ready to deliver his 'tag'. Terriermon saw this and dived out of the way at the last minute, narrowly avoiding his tail. However no one saw just how much momentum Blood Viximon had in his charge, and with nothing in his way he plowed head first into the river.

Everyone burst into laughter, even Renamon and the tamers couldn't contain themselves. Terriermon rolled across the floor clutching his sides whilst Guilmon snorted in his laughter, causing the others to laugh harder.

A few seconds later Impmon suddenly jumped up, concern upon his face. Everyone fell silent.

"What's wrong Impmon?" Renamon asked, scanning the area for a digimon.

"Why hasn't he come back up yet?" he asked, pointing to the river.

That's when everyone realised Blood Viximon hadn't come back to the surface. He was still underwater.


	9. Chapter 8

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 8

Renamon was on her feet instantly. She raced to the edge of the river hoping to see a sign of Blood Viximon. Nothing. She phased out and scanned the river for his signal. Nothing. Panicking she called out to him, hoping he could still be there. Nothing.

She looked around her as various images of him poured into her head, of his body at the bottom of the river. She shook her head clear and without a second thought, dived into the river.

She looked every way she could but didn't see him. She faced down river and caught a faint sign of his data. She jumped out of the water, pausing only to shake herself dry, and raced off in his direction. The others followed close behind.

He was being pulled along by a strong current that he simply couldn't fight against. His lungs were burning. He needed air. He just about managed to reach the surface and took a breath when he was pulled back under as the river took a turn. He struggled to the surface again for another breath as Renamon rounded the corner and saw him, shortly before he went under again.

She had seen him. He was still alive. But from the way he was fighting for every breath she knew she had to act now. A waterfall caught her atention in front of her. There was no time. She wasn't going to be able to reach him before he went over.

Impmon ran behind her, suprisingly fast considering his small stature. He saw Blood Viximon. He saw the waterfall. He knew the chances of him surviving were now very low. He had to act now.

He felt a power grow inside him, a power he has felt only a few times in his life. It filled his body breifly before he was surrounded by a bright sphere of data.

"Impmon digivolve to...Beelzemon!"

Beelzemon burst from the sphere, now able to run much faster. He overtook Renamon and raced towards the waterfall. But for all his new found speed, he still wasn't fast enough. They all watched as Blood Viximon went over the edge.

"No!" came the joint cries of Renamon and Beelzemon.

He had failed. He had digivolved, yet he had failed. He still raced to the edge, and quickly decided on one final, last resort. He dived off the waterfall after Blood Viximon.

He kept his body streamlined so he could catch up to him. Another power filled him, producing two black wings from his back and a large rifle that hung from his waist. Ignoring all reason, he flapped his wings and accelerated downwards. He caught Blood Viximon in his arms and snapped his wings open, the sudden rush of air flinging him back and slowing his decent significantly.

He touched down on the ground slightly heavier than he would have liked and looked Blood Viximon over. He didn't look injured and he was breathing, a good sign that he was still alive. He came to, coughing up a small amount of water as he did so. He looked up at his saviour and paled, suddenly not feeling safe. He wormed his was out of Beelzemon's grip and dropped to the floor, running before his feet were in contact with anything hard.

"Hey kid! It's me! I'm not going to hurt you!" Beelzemon called after him, and then did the worst thing possible. He chased after him.

The others made their way down safley to find Blood Viximon, very much alive, running from Beelzemon who was attempting to calm him with his words, but not helping with his actions.

Blood Viximon saw Renamon and immediately ran for her. She saw him approach and knelt down on one knee as he jumped into her waiting arms. His form was icy cold and wet, shivering from cold and fear.

"It's okay. Beelzemon is a friend. That's Impmon."

But he wasn't afraid of Beelzemon.

"Keep him away! Keep him away! He won't take me like he took the others! Don't let him take me!"

Renamon was confused.

"Beelzemon didn't take anyone. He won't hurt you, he saved you."

"Keep him away! Don't let him get me! He's coming for me! Don't let him take me!"

Coming? Beelzemon hadn't moved. Who was coming?

That's when she felt it.

* * *

Alarms were going off again. They had tried to stop it, but it was simply too strong. Now it was here. Now it was seeking what it came for. Now it bioemerged.

Yamaki threw his lighter across the room, furious. He needed to find a new way of stopping the rouge digimon coming through, but he didn't know how.

But he knew someone who might...

* * *

A blue pilar of light confirmed their suspicions, a thick fog engaged their battle senses and the screams from Blood Viximon chilled their blood, real and digital.

"Don't let him take me!"

The digital field was big and it formed around them. A large silouette materialised in front, bellowing malicious laughter. Henry scanned it with his digivice, but Renamon knew what it was.

"Geogreymon. Champion level Vaccine type digimon. Special attacks include Mega Flame and Mega Burst." Henry read out.

"That's not just any Geogreymon," Renamon said, "that's _the_ Geogreymon!"


	10. Chapter 9

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 9

Blood Viximon had fallen silent. Renamon didn't quite know why, but she was thankful that he wasn't screaming. He actually seemed to be sleeping again. She passed him to Beelzemon and told him to keep him safe. She then turned to Rika.

"Ready Rika?"

Rika snapped out of her momentary daze and nodded, and called the others.

"Takato? Henry? Come on! We have to deal with this guy."

They both returned their attention to the task at hand and pulled their digivices out, along with a single card. All three of them nodded to each other and readied their partners.

"Let's do this!" Takato yelled, and as one the tamers swiped their cards through their digivices.

"Digi-modify! Digivolution, activate!"

Guilmon, Terriermon and Renamon were engulfed in spheres of swirling data as their forms shifted and changed.

"Guilmon digivolve to..."

"Terriermon digivolve to..."

"Renamon digivolve to..."

The spheres exploded outwards as all three reappeared in their Champion forms.

"...Growlmon!"

"...Gargomon!"

"...Kyubimon!"

All three then launched their attacks at Geogreymon, who was still laughing maliciously.

"Pyro Blaster!"

"Gargo Laser!"

"Fox Tail Inferno!"

Geogreymon was struck by the attacks, having made no effort to avoid them. His laughter stopped, only for him to release a feral yell.

"Mega Flame!"

A great flame burst from Geogreymon's maw, engulfing the tamer digimon as one. Cries of pain were heard and as the fires died, Guilmon and Terriermon had de-digivolved back and remained motionless.

"No!" Henry and Takato shouted simultaneously as they rushed to their partners.

Kyubimon remained, slightly shaken but otherwise ready for round two. She ran at Geogreymon and jumped into the air to release another attack.

"Dragon Wheel!"

A blue spectral dragon launched itself at the Geogreymon and impacted square in his chest, knocking him back and weakening him severely. But he had a couple of tricks up his non-existent sleeves.

"Mega Burst!"

Kyubimon barely had time to dodge as the attack grazed her side, knocking her back and over. She came to a stop by Beelzemon as she de-digivolved back to Renamon. He handed Blood Viximon to her and pulled his rifle into his arms.

"My turn. Look after the kid, foxy."

As Beelzemon turned to where Geogreymon was, he saw a bright light and a sphere of data.

"That's not good!"

The sphere faded to reveal what was Geogreymon, only now he was taller, had armour on his head and chest with wing like structures behind him, and a rather large rifle attached to his left arm. Geogreymon was gone, Rizegreymon now stood in his place.

Henry scanned him again.

"Rizegreymon. Ultimate level Vaccine type. Special attacks are Rising Destroyer and-"

"Trident Revolver!"

Henry was interrupted by Rizegreymon launching his attack at Renamon and Blood Viximon. Three large shells fired from his rifle and flew towards them.

Beelzemon saw the attack and where it was heading. He was enraged. How dare he attack defenceless digimon! Did he not know any honour? Attacking a weakened Rookie and an unconscious In-training level, instead of a perfectly healthy Mega like him. He intercepted the attack, the shots impacting on his chest as little more than an annoyance. One he made clear.

"Do you know how much this jacket cost me?"

Rizegreymon simply sneered at him as Beelzemon traced a pentagram with the end of his rifle, ending with him aligning the barrel in the centre of the glyph as it formed rings.

"Absolutely nothing! Corona Destroyer!"

A brilliant incandescent purple beam erupted from Beelzemon's glyph, instantly striking Rizegreymon squarely in his chest. He managed to let out a momentary roar of pain before he dispersed into data, the digital field fading as he did so.

Beelzemon lowered his rifle and checked on those he had saved.

Renamon was cradling Blood Viximon in her arms while he slept, only he wasn't asleep. His eyes wandered sightlessly under closed lids, his body shivered from an unseen wind, his tail twitched uncontrollably. His ears were pressed flat against his head while his mouth worked unheard words. Something was wrong, and no one knew what.

They all surrounded him, trying their best to decide what was wrong with him when his eyes shot open. Gone were the normally red shining orbs that held an immeasurable innocence. Now there were two orbs of nothingness. Dull and glazed. Looking without truly seeing. His mouth still worked without sound, but Renamon could sense something inside him. Something that should not be there. She called out to him but he gave no response.

They all decided that HYPNOS was the best place to get answers, so with Blood Viximon still in Renamon's arms they all raced back. They just hoped they were in time.


	11. Chapter 10

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 10

_Darkness._

_He had been here for a little while now, but he was really sick of the darkness. Nothing to see, nothing to hear and nothing to smell. But he could sense a presence. Someone, or something, that lurked on the edge of his mind._

_No, not on the edge. Inside his mind. He was inside his mind with this presence. He called out to it, telling it to show itself. But he made no sound._

_Then the darkness lifted and he saw his mind stretched out before him. Memories and thoughts all aligned, waiting to be accessed. Hopes, dreams, fears and desires. And something else. The presence._

_His mind cleared and he stood, or so he thought, in an open area. Empty of anything except himself, and the presence. A shrouded silhouette loomed before him as it slowly gained definition. A long reptilian body covered in red and white. Four black wings and claws to match. Yellow eyes regarded him with a look of distaste._

_'Worthless digimon. Who are you to challenge me? I control you now. You are mine!'_

_He froze in fear, a prisoner of his own mind. There was nothing he, someone so young and weak, could do._

* * *

Renamon paced around the room, restless. She had been doing this for the last half an hour while the scientists hooked Blood Viximon up to various machines and equipment. She has never felt so useless.

They had brought him straight here and explained what they knew. Yamaki had setup a lab to monitor Blood Viximon's condition, and that's when they saw that his mind activity was racing. Now they were trying to interface directly into him, to see what his mind was doing.

"That should be it. Try it again." One of the scientists began pressing buttons and slowly the displays began to light up. She focused on the main one in front of them, the one that would let them see what he saw in his mind. An image formed slowly, causing a shocked reaction at what they saw.

Blood Viximon was pressed low down in the middle of an open plain, while a large red and white dragon with four wings loomed over him, taunting him with words they couldn't hear. She could see his fear by the way he didn't move or respond. Another scientist pressed a few more buttons and sound came with the image.

"Worthless digimon. Who are you to challenge me? I control you now. You are mine!"

Menacing words dripped from the dragon apparition, instilling a fear into all those present.

Henry broke the fear induced silence.

"If we can hear them, can they hear us?"

"No," came a reply. "We cannot transmit sound into his mind. That would take time, and by the looks of things we don't have much of it."

Renamon spoke next, voicing a possible, but risky solution.

"Since we digimon are data, and you have him linked to your machines, can you send us inside his mind?"

The others looked at her in shock. Why would she suggest such a thing? One of the scientists thought for a second, then shot up.

"Yes! I believe we can! But it is not without risk. We can send your consciousness into his, but you won't have long. If he purges his mind, or if you are gone too long, you will not be able to return to your bodies."

"Do it." Renamon immediately agreed.

"Renamon!" Rika yelled. "What are you thinking? You might not come back." She looked solemnly to her partner, fearing the worst.

Renamon was not deterred.

"I know you don't like this Rika, but I trust Blood Viximon. He won't risk us being separated from our bodies for too long. And I made a vow to protect him. Right now he needs me."

"You mean 'us' right?" Terriermon, Guilmon and Impmon all looked at her, showing their own desire to help him.

"If you're sure on this, then come this way." Another scientist waved them over and placed electrodes on each of their foreheads. "Remember, we can hear you, but you won't hear us. Are you ready?"

They nodded. Renamon cast one last look at Blood Viximon's body before closing her eyes. She felt a weird tingling all over her body, and then nothing. She opened her eyes to find herself inside his mind, looking at the dragon.

In the room, Henry had an idea. He pulled out his digivice waited for Terriermon to look at the dragon. Sure enough, his digivice displayed the dragon as a digimon.

"Woah! Dorugreymon! Ultimate level Data type digimon. I can't seem to get any other information, but that's definitely a digimon."

"No it isn't," said a scientist looking at a readout. "That isn't the actual digimon. Look at this code. It's a virus, or rather a vaccine program. Something that calls itself the X-Antibody. But it's not supposed to affect him. It's design is to target and neutralise a sub program called the X-Program, something no digimon is known to have. Even Blood Viximon doesn't have it in him."

"So why is it there? What is it doing?" Henry asked.

"I think I know," said the same scientist. "There is a chance that Dorugreymon has manipulated the X-Antibody to his will. All digimon have the ability to digivolve, but Blood Viximon's digivolution seems to be frozen. I think Dorugreymon changed the X-Antibody to freeze digivolution to keep it's victims weak, making easy prey."

They all fell silent for a while until Takato spoke.

"So if we remove the program, he can digivolve?"

"I believe so. And we have that chance right here. With the others inside his mind, they can destroy that Dorugreymon and purge him of the infection."

"Then they are going to need help." Rika said, grabbing her digivice and a random card. The others followed her example.

"Wait," Henry said. "Are we even sure this will work?"

"Only one way to find out!" Takato added, and as one they swiped their cards.

"Digi-modify! Matrix Digivolution, activate!"

Renamon, inside Blood Viximon's mind felt something new. A power. Digivolution.

Guilmon and Terriermon felt it too and all three became their Ultimate forms inside his mind, while their bodies remained in their Rookie forms.

"...How?" Taomon began.

"Doesn't matter! Let's use it and ask questions later." Rapidmon interrupted.

They nodded and focused on the Dorugreymon.

"Atomic Blaster!"

"Tri-Beam!"

"Talisman of Light!"

Their attacks struck the dragon digimon and caught him off guard.

"How dare you!"

This made Blood Viximon look and see what was happening. He saw the dragon facing three digimon that vaguely resembled his new friends. He saw the dragon had left himself wide open to him. He took the chance he was offered.

"Blood Shard!"

Normally, an attack from an In-training digimon would have absolutely no effect on a Champion level digimon, let alone an Ultimate. But this Dorugreymon wasn't an actual digimon. Powerful. Yes. Ultimate level powerful. No. And after being weakened by the earlier attacks it wouldn't take much to make an impact.

And this was his mind. His attack was as powerful as he wanted it to be.

His attack struck home, a red crystal twice the size it should have been, and five times the hitting power. A manifestation of the trust he had in his friends, of the fear he did not want to feel. It struck home, hard.

Dorugreymon roared in defiance as he began to fade. He tried to attack before he disappeared, but he didn't have enough time.

"Metal-"

And he was gone. Blood Viximon turned to his friends and smiled. But before any of them could do anything, he winked.

"Your turn."

And they winked out of his mind, returning to their bodies.

Renamon was up first, the others not far behind. She rushed to Blood Viximon to find him in the same place he was before, still unmoving. The screen had gone blank.

"I thought we saved him? What's going on?"

"He is fine," another scientist reassured her. "The infection is gone. He is just sleeping. Poor guy has a lot of energy to recover."

"Infection?"

So they explained what they found out while they were gone while Blood Viximon still slept. They decided he was fit enough to leave and they left for home with him in Renamon's arms again.


	12. Chapter 11

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero.

Chapter 11

They made idle conversation as they walked, making good progress on their way home. They were about to split up and go their separate ways when Blood Viximon stirred.

"What happened?" he asked, unsure of recent events.

"We will explain all that later. All that matters is your safe." Renamon reassured him.

"Then why do I feel all funny?"

"Renamon! Put him down now!" Rika said as he began to glow. Renamon placed him on the ground and stepped away, unsure of what was happening. A sphere of data engulfed Blood Viximon, and they all knew then what was happening.

"Blood Viximon digivolve to..."

His body morphed inside the sphere, growing into the same shape as Renamon, but slightly different. He had a taller, more male looking shape. The sphere faded to reveal his new form.

"...Blood Renamon!"

Where Renamon was yellow, he was black. Where she was white, he was silvery. Where she was purple, he was red. His eyes stayed the same colour as they were, but held much more wisdom. A red wavey line traced under each eye, like Renamon's purple ones. On each of his thighs was a red blood drop, and his red arm guards were symbolised with a red blood drop set inside a black circle.

He surveyed his new form, a small smile forming as he tested his new digital muscles.

"That's more like it." Even his voice was different. Older, stronger, and if Renamon feelings were true, enticing.

She caught herself looking him over and returned her gaze to his eyes. He saw her looking at him and smiled broader.

"Looks like we can spar soon, fox face!"

"Who are you calling fox face? We look practically the same!" Renamon responded.

"Yes, but you didn't call me it did you?" A grin accompanied his words. A sense of humour seemed to form with him as well as his new body. This would take some getting used to.

He flexed his fists, getting used to having hands, and bounced on his heels. He had a new form, he needed to test it.

"Come on then, come at me!"

Renamon looked confused, and looked across to Rika. She nodded with a 'why not' look.

"Very well, but don't you hold back, fox face!"

His grin widened at her use of his nickname he used previously. Then he ran at her, paws glowing.

"All or nothing Renamon! All or nothing!"

"Fine with me! Power Paw!"

"Blood Paw!"

Their attacks hit each other, but his was stronger. He showed no weakness from his ordeals. Renanon was pushed back as she regained her balance, then rushed in again. She delivered a blow to his left thigh, causing him to drop slightly, only for her to bring her knee up under his jaw. The force of the impact knocked him into the air and back down on the road with a sickening crunch. Renamon immediately regretted her tactic and went to check on him, only for him to burst out of the dust cloud his impact created. He ran at her, pure savage joy on his face and swung a glowing paw at her side. She wasn't ready for this and was catapulted back as she span vertically, landing on her back as he stood over her. He offered his paw, still grinning, and she took it as he helped her up. Once she was standing, he jumped back a few feet, and rushed her again. She deflected a savage uppercut that came her way, only for her to be hit by his right foot, connecting with her right thigh and sending her down on one knee. A blazing paw came at her, but she had no time to deflect it. She braced for the impact, but it never came. She opened her eyes and found his fist inches from her face.

"Dead!" he said, before lowering his paw and extinguishing the red glow. He offered his paw again to help her up. She took it, but she wasn't finished. No way was he going to beat her! She stood up and jumped up and back from him, crossing her arms in front of her.

"Diamond Storm!"

Seeing her using her most powerful attack against him, he smirked. Pride was a killer, there was no place for it in a fight. He would show her why. He made no effort to move as countless crystals formed in front of her as she spread her arms out to the sides. Instead he mirrored her move, with his own touch. He crossed his arms where he stood facing her, and gathered a fraction of his power.

"Blood Storm!"

A swarm of clear crystals flew down from Renamon as a swarm of red ones flew up from Blood Renamon. They collided in mid air and shattered harmlessly against each other. So drawn to the counter move, it wasn't until he appeared through the debris flying right at her that they saw the real reason for the display. It was a distraction.

He crashed into her in the air, and twisted them so she was underneath as they fell. A blazing fist stopping next to the side of her head.

"Dead again!" he said, shortly before twisting them again so he was underneath her as they hit the floor. The air rushed out of his digital lungs as Renamon's weight pressed down on his chest shortly before she rolled off him from the impact.

The others rushed to them as Renamon picked herself up. He wasn't so fortunate. He laid there trying to refill his collapsed lungs, struggling for each breath. Renamon crouched over him, sorrow on her face.

"Why?"

"Didn't want...you to take...the fall..."

"Rika could have restored me. She can't do that to you."

He smiled grimly as his digital body began to repair itself. His lungs reformed and his breathing became easier. The pain in his body faded as he lifted himself off the ground, the others looking confused.

"Regeneration. I have a limited ability to slowly heal any non-critical wounds. Now you see why I took the fall, so I can show you another glimpse at my abilities. However, our sparring is over for tonight. Regenerating uses a lot of energy."

Renamon could see he spoke the truth. His legs were not as strong as they were before, his knees wavering slightly. His breathing was heavier and his eyes drooped.

"I think rest is a good idea at this point. We should head back-"

A large blue beam interrupted Renamon, a digital field appeared a few blocks away. They looked at each other, then raced off towards it with Renamon supporting Blood Renamon on the way.

By the time the two of them arrived, Guilmon and Terriermon were out of the fight. They laid with their tamers, utterly exhausted. Renamon separated herself from Blood Renamon and joined the fight.

"Be careful Renamon!" Henry yelled. "It's a powerful Dokugumon!"

She had fought one of these digimon before, and it nearly beat her. But now she was weakened from the sparring, and the Dokugumon was stronger than the one she fought before.

As a result, she suffered the same result as the other two tamer digimon. Falling to her side next to Blood Renamon. Rika worked on restoring her, but the rogue was not going to wait for it's prey to recover.

Blood Renamon, ignoring his flagging energy, ran towards Dokugumon and jumped into the air in a familiar pose. Although this time he used his full power.

"Blood Storm!"

A much larger storm of red crystals rained down on the rogue, but had little effect. He was knocked aside as it came at him, but he still had a fight in him.

He picked himself up and faced the digimon again.

He looked across at his friends, at Renamon. He felt an anger build in him, rage at seeing them beaten mercilessly. A power formed inside him, suffusing his body. His energy returned to him, and much more of it followed. He felt his form shift slightly as his power grew.

The others saw this and were speechless. This wasn't digivolution, this was something else.

"Blood Renamon awaken!"

The bellow was semi demonic in sound, sending chills up everyone's spines. They watched as his claws extended, his muscles swelled. His eyes became completely red and glowed. Two horns erupted from the back of his head and extended straight back, as one more burst from his forehead and lengthened upwards.

"Blood Renamon Fury Mode!"

He surveyed his target with nothing short of pure hatred. No remorse. He ran at Dokugumon, fists blazing with unnatural red fire.

"Fury Paw!"

Half a dozen impacts landed on the rogue, but it remained unfazed. He jumped back and up, and once again crossed his arms in front of him.

"Fury Storm!"

Again, the attack had little effect. The rogue felt it and roared in pain, but it wasn't enough. He saw this and prepared one final move.

He gathered power within him, a red aura forming round his body. He spread his arms out as the aura condensed round his paws. He swung them round his back and over his head, bringing them in front of him, left palm against the back of his right paw. The energy crackled like fire, but it was unholy. Pure hatred turned into physical energy. He bellowed his attack.

"FINAL FURY!"

An incandescent red beam blasted towards Dokugumon from Blood Renamon's interlocked paws. It struck the rogue head on. A horrific howl of pain sounded briefly before the rogue dispersed. The digital field faded, leaving three stunned tamers and their digimon looking at Blood Renamon as he slowly turned.

As he used all his fury energy in the attack he could not sustain his Fury Mode. The horns and claws receded and his eyes returned to normal. Then he stopped. He realised he had made a crucial oversight, he had expended too much energy.

His knees buckled underneath him, sending him down onto his hands. His arms also couldn't support his weight and they too failed. He fell onto his side as his eyes drooped dangerously. The others had recovered enough to rush to his side, but as they got near him he began to glow.

His form shifted and shrank. In his place was Blood Viximon.


	13. Chapter 12

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 12

Rika and Renamon had rushed him back home after they concluded he de-digivolved due to using too much energy. There were no wounds on him and he seemed stable enough to just be sleeping, recovering his missing energy. They were convinced he would digivolve back once he recovered fully, making a joke about him beating Renamon again. Normally she would defend herself against such comments, but now was not the time. At least they all hoped he would digivolve back.

Now he rested on Renamon's bed again, and all they could do was wait.

* * *

It wasn't until a few hours later that he awoke, everyone else having fallen asleep. Even Renamon was sound, the two fights she was in that day drained her significantly. That and her worrying about him.

He wandered about the room for a little while before that same feeling returned. He once again digivolved back to Blood Renamon.

Seeing Renamon was still asleep, he left the room and stepped out into the cool night air. He bounded up to the roof and laid himself down, not tired enough to sleep. Instead he let his mind wander, from thought to thought. Not really thinking about anything in particular.

One thought crossed his mind though about the complexity of his identity. Even he knew simply saying his name was a long winded ordeal, so he decided to make it easier. He searched his memories, lightly so he didn't spark an emotional reaction, for signs of an identity he could take.

He came from a place that no longer existed. He was raised briefly by parents that no longer remained. His former life was shattered. He had nothing. He was nothing. He came here against his will, not that he regretted it, and still had nothing to show for it. Yes he had gained a few friends, and maybe that was something. But in general he had nothing. Nothing was what he was. Nothing was who he was. Nothing. Empty. Bare.

Zero.

Yes. He was Zero. He liked the sound of that. The others might not agree with how he came up with it, but it was his name from this point onwards. He was Zero.

And so Zero let his mind wander again, without much in the way of care as to where it took him.

* * *

Renamon awoke to find herself alone. Blood Viximon was gone.

She bolted up to her feet and scanned around with her heightened senses. She felt him above her, on the roof. The place she always went to think, it seemed ironic that he was there.

She left the room and jumped up to the roof. She saw him, as his Rookie form, laying stretched out on the roof. He didn't seem to have noticed her.

"I see you have digivolved back again."

"So it would seem..."

"You do know you are in my spot, right?"

"Mmhmm..." His crude attitude at that moment made her think he was avoiding something. She decided to probe him further.

"So are you going to move?"

"Nope..."His expression remained blank, a trait she had and one she began to dislike.

"Do I have to move you?"

"I'd like to see you try..." His eyes seemed to stare off to some unknown place, yet he was fully aware of his surroundings.

Her patience was wearing thin.

"Look, Blood Renamon! You are-"

"No! Don't call me that!" He interrupted her with so much force she nearly lost her balance.

"What has gotten into you? Why can't I call you by your name? Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"I am fine. I just decided that I needed an easier, more suitable name. Seeing as what I am is a mouthful at the best of times."

"And what name is that, may I ask?"

"Zero," he said flatly. "I am now called Zero."

"And why Zero?" Renamon asked, curious.

So he explained his reasons. Reasons she immediately objected to.

"Look, I don't really care if you don't agree with why I chose it. The fact is it's my name. End of story."

Seeing as she was defeated, she gave up arguing. Zero then looked at her and shuffled over slightly and patted the space next to him. She took a few moments to realise what he was doing and politely refused.

"What? Now I'm not good enough? You put me in bed with you when I was Blood Viximon and chances are you would have done the same tonight if I didn't de-digivolve."

Renamon blushed slightly, but her fur hid it from him.

"What do you mean? I-"

"Oh come on! I'm not blind Renamon. I saw the way you looked at me when I first digivolved. Did you think you could hide it from me?"

She blushed again. He was right. This time he saw her blush, and smiled slightly.

"Am I right?"

"Of course you aren't, fox face!" Renamon's poor defence told Zero what he needed, but he didn't press her. He patted the space next to him again and returned his gaze upwards.

She hesitated. Did he really know? Even she wasn't sure how she felt. So how did he know?

She eventually gave in settled down next to him, but tried to maintain a distance between them. Zero smiled again.

"You will fall off like that. And I will laugh."

"Hmph!" It was unlike Renamon to vocalise frustration like that, but humorous anyway. But she did shuffle across so she wasn't on the edge of the roof, meaning her side now safely touched his. She blushed at the contact, but couldn't help but admit it felt, right. She still didn't know why, but it did.

It was then that Zero sighed, breaking the silence.

"What's up, Zero?"

"I've just come to realise, that I am the last of my kind."

There was hurt in his voice, sorrow arising from the truth in his words. She felt it too, inside her from the memories they had shared. That realisation put his whole life into perspective. He really did have nothing. Now she truly understood the reasons for his name, even if she didn't like it.

Zero just laid there, staring into the stars as his mind wandered further. Memories flashed before him, showing him what once was. He felt his emotions build and quickly moved his thoughts to less painful ones, but there were not that many. His body must have betrayed some of his emotions though, as he felt Renamon place a comforting arm round him. He cast a sideways glance at her and caught the look in her eyes. He knew he was right about her, but what did that mean for him? What did that mean for them?

An image sprang into his mind of him and Renamon, laying on her bed. His paw running down her back while her paw ran through his mane...

His eyes widened and his breathing quickened. He pushed the image from his mind. What was that? He had felt, something. Nothing he had ever felt before. He glanced to her again, but this time that strange feeling returned. She hadn't noticed his racing heart or frantic breathing, as he slowly brought them back under control.

With these new feelings in his mind, he returned his gaze upwards again and began to search for answers. They remained that way until morning.


	14. Chapter 13

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 13

Renamon returned to awareness as Rika left her room. She noticed that she had unconsciously moved closer to Zero since she had laid next to him. She flustered a little and went to see Rika.

Zero was thinking too deeply to register Renamon moving. He felt the pressure in his side fade, but gave no thought to it. He had other things to think about.

Another image entered his mind.

He and Renamon stood facing each other, less than an inch apart. Her eyes radiated care and adoration and he felt his heart soar. She lent forwards, twisting her head to one side and pressed her lips to his...

Zero bolted to his feet, eyes wide and heart racing. He quickly turned his back to Renamon and Rika, who were discussing his new name. They had noticed his sudden movement and were asking concerned questions.

He ignored them, trying frantically to calm himself. He felt Renamon approach and panicked. If she saw him like this she would ask questions until she found out what he was hiding. There wasn't enough time to compose himself. He needed space.

He bolted across the roof, trying to put distance between them. Renamon, confused, gave chase. He knew he couldn't out run her, she knew the area too well. He was quickly running out of roof to run across. He focused his mind briefly as he jumped off the roof edge and passed into the phase plane.

To everyone else, Zero simply vanished into thin air. But he hadn't vanished. He couldn't be seen, but he was still there. He propelled himself off the wall he landed on top of and continued his run. He kept running until he could no longer sense Renamon in range, and phased back in mid jump.

He stopped momentarily to sight somewhere to go. His gaze settled on the roof of one of the HYPNOS towers. Tall, secluded and offering a good view. He focused his vision on the part of the roof he could see, phased out and practically threw his data at the tower. He effectively teleported onto the roof and phased back in. He dropped about a foot in height before his feet touched the roof.

With his new vantage point, Zero settled down and began to let his thoughts wander, more images similar to the first two entered his mind. But seeing as he was alone he made no attempt to calm himself. He let his heart race. He let his cheeks burn. He let his breathing become frantic. He hoped that by doing this he could better understand why he felt this way. But all he managed to achieve was make his cheeks redder and redder. He was almost hyperventilating when he emptied his mind of the images, not wanting to pass out.

He calmed himself down, and began again.

* * *

Now she was really confused.

Renamon had seen him jump up suddenly. Something had obviously spooked him, but he had ran away from her. Normally when he felt like that he would run to her, not away. She didn't understand his actions, unless he was afraid of her.

No, he couldn't be. That made no sense. She had protected him and he knew that. She cared for him and he also knew that. She hadn't given him any reasons to be scared of her.

Or had she?

A thought crossed her mind as she returned to Rika. Was he afraid of her for the same reason she was confused about him?

She pushed that idea from her head. There was no way he felt like that, was there? She didn't even know how she felt, but she was scared of the feelings to begin with. Only her sense of care and duty to him kept her from running. So was he the same?

As much as she didn't think it possible, it was the only thing that made sense. The only explanation for his outburst. So if he felt the same as she did, then wouldn't it be best for them to talk about it?

Even if she could find him, she didn't know if she could find it in herself to discuss the way she felt to him. But Rika...

She decided she needed answers. Rika was her best option. So after readying herself for the embarrassment, she called her over.

* * *

One long, red faced conversation later and Renamon was phased out, overlooking the buildings in front of her. She searched for him, but she hadn't had much luck.

Rika had been a big help to her. She had told her that the way she felt was natural to humans, she wasn't sure about digimon. But she suggested that as she had been around humans she may have acquired some human traits, such as the way she felt towards Zero. That made a lot of sense to her. Now she needed to find him and sort this out.

She patrolled around again, and caught a faint sign of him by the HYPNOS towers. She phased out and made her way there, so he wouldn't sense her coming and try to run. She bounded up the stairs inside the tower he was on, the people she passed oblivious to her movements. She phased through the door, sighted Zero and walked towards him.

His mind was still racing. What he felt, could it be possible? He wasn't even sure anymore. Nothing made sense to him now.

Renamon stood over him as she phased back in, startling him. He jumped up and made to run, only for her to grab his arm.

"Running won't solve anything Zero."

He stopped. She was right. He was going to have to face her eventually, it may as well be now.

He turned to her, face still red from his thoughts. She ignored it, but it did prove that he felt what she did.

"You too?"

Zero went wide eyed.

"What do you mean?"

"You're not the only one confused about this."

"And what is 'this'?"

"Don't play coy with me, fox face! I know why you ran."

"Then you know I'm going to run again then, right?"

"I also know that running solves nothing. You're just going to get worse unless you sort this out. I am fairing no better than you, let's just talk this out."

"Hmph! And how do you propose we do that? I can't even look at you without..."

"Without what?" This made Renamon smirk.

"Oh shut up!" Indignity crossed his features. He had yet to look her face to face.

Renamon seized the initiative and rapidly closed the small gap between them, causing Zero to squirm slightly. She also noticed his breath catch, and his heart rate quicken. She then knew for sure exactly how he felt.

"You're not the only one that feels that way, you know."

Zero looked at her for the first time during their conversation. He saw how she felt broadcasted in her eyes, eyes he had seen in his mind. He knew what those eyes meant and it scared him, because he felt the same. But he didn't know if he should feel how he does. She had been like a mother to him, it seemed so wrong for him to feel like this towards her.

He felt her press against him, obviously on purpose. His feeling of uneasiness grew with every second. He wanted to run, he needed to run.

He quickly extracted himself from her and, with no other option, jumped off the side of the tower.

Renamon screamed his name and dived after him, not thinking for her safety. Zero saw her follow him.

"Shit! What the hell are you doing?"

He said it mostly to himself. He had planned his descent. He knew when and how to stop himself. She didn't. Now he had to think fast for a way to prevent her redecorating the floor they were rapidly heading towards.

He spread himself out to slow himself slightly, allowing her to catch up. He caught her when she was close enough.

"You have just condemned us both! What possessed you to follow me?"

Realisation of what she had done hit her. This was it.

Zero spread his arms and legs again whilst holding Renamon's paw with one of his own.

"Spread yourself like me!"

She did as he told her, too stunned by her sudden recklessness to argue. She felt herself slow slightly, but they both picked up speed again.

"Beelzemon! Now would be a great time!"

Beelzemon? Had he planned this?

Sure enough, Beelzemon flew towards them, plucking them both out of the air and landing safely on the ground.

"You are mad, you know that right?" Beelzemon observed.

"It would have gone much smoother if fox face didn't follow me," Zero replied. "Thanks for the save though, I owe you one."

Beelzemon snorted and flew off, not wanting to be around those two since he knew what was coming.

Zero turned to Renamon with a half smile, half frown on his face.

"You are stark raving mad you know? We could very easily not be having this conversation. Stairs are a much more conventional method of descent."

"Says the fox who jumped first..."

"What can I say? I enjoy the rush."

"So you planned this all along." It wasn't a question.

"So what if I did? I have my reasons."

"You planned on me following you as well? You told me I had condemned us to death, even though you knew Beelzemon could catch us both?"

"I had to be sure..."

Renamon frowned this time.

"Sure of what?"

"Of how you felt. Seeing you disregard your own safety for me confirms what I thought, but it doesn't make it easier." Zero said as he walked towards her.

"Make what easier? You're not making sense." Renamon was becoming more confused, as he stopped right in front of her.

"This," and he pressed his lips to hers.


	15. Chapter 14

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 14

Renamon's world exploded. Zero's did the same.

Sure they've seen humans do this, even Rika had briefly explained it to Renamon. But seeing and hearing don't compare to actually experiencing it first hand.

Any doubt in Zero's mind about this being right was instantly snuffed out. If she had been a mother to him, it was when he was Blood Viximon. Now it was different. Now it was right.

They parted after a few moments, even though it felt longer. Silence reigned between them, until Zero's logic kicked in again. His eyes widened and his cheeks burned ferociously as he quickly averted his gaze. Renamon virtually mimicked his response, only for them to turn away in the same direction.

Zero noticed first and quickly turned the other way. His mind was a mess. Logic clashed with emotion. Rational thought battled with instinct. Friendship fought with, other feelings.

Renamon's mind was different. She was in bliss. She never knew just how good she would have felt until now. She glanced at Zero from the corner of her eye and her digital heart skipped another beat. There was no mistaking that the way she felt was true.

They stood there for a few more seconds until she grew impatient.

"What's wrong?" Renamon could see the internal fight raging inside Zero.

"Huh?" he responded, slightly dazed still before he caught himself again. "Nothing, I'm fine. Nothing wrong here. No need to worry..."

His denial said otherwise.

"Awkward?"

He gave in on that reply. "Um, honestly? Yes. I came to this world very young and afraid, not to mention close to deletion. You helped me, cared for me like a mother does her child. I've always seen you as that. And now, here we are, as us. Not a mother and her child, but as something else. I-I'm not sure I can deal with that."

Renamon took his head in her paws and forced him to look into her eyes.

"Zero. I mean this in the nicest possible way, so forgive me if I hurt you." Zero visibly braced himself for her next words. "I am not your mother. We both know what happened to her and your father. I will never replace your parents, and nor do I want to. But I do care for you. I have cared for you since we first met, when you crawled out from under that unit and I saw you for the first time. Fearful and lonely. I vowed to protect you, to never leave you and to never betray you. For these reasons I cannot be your mother. But I can be something else. I want to be something else. I know how I feel, and I have a pretty good idea how you feel. But I want you to be true to me and yourself. If you do not want this, you must decide so and tell me. I will not have you simply agreeing just so you can keep me happy. Weather I am with you on that level or not, your happiness and well being are my concern. Even if it means we do not pursue this path, I will not hold this against you. This is your choice Zero."

Zero was speechless. His whole, and relatively short life has been filled with hurt, fear and loneliness. Apart from his own parents, no one has shown this level of care towards him. No one has acted in his best interests. This was a whole new concept for him, one he couldn't fully grasp. He looked into those eyes and saw exactly how she felt, but he also saw that she would bury her feelings for him if he decided he couldn't do this. Seeing such devotion towards him and a willingness to abandon her feelings, her desires, it broke him. Every part of his mind screamed at him. A million different voices, or so he thought, all saying different things. Some agreed with others, some argued. Some didn't know what to say. Yet one voice stood out from the noise. One voice spoke logic and reason. He focused on it, drowning out all the others, and he listened.

_'You know she is right. You know she will never be your mother. You have been fighting with yourself all day, and last night. Why do you fight the truth? You know how you feel. Why deny it to yourself? Why deny the chance you have been given, the chance you secretly hoped to receive? Why else would you run to these towers just to let those thoughts rule your mind? Why else did you not deny how she felt when she told you? Why did your heart soar when you realised you felt the same to her as she did to you? You know you want this. You know you cannot deny this. Stop fooling yourself and take the chance you have been given, the chance you so deserve.'_

Zero looked into Renamon's eyes as his mind reformed itself. He understood everything. The way they both felt. The way neither of them could actually deny themselves this. The way they both deserved this.

"Renamon."

She heard her name, but he used a flat, emotionless tone. She couldn't read anything in his voice or his eyes. He was blank.

"Renamon," he repeated. "I have been a fool. I thought of you as my mother. I dishonoured my real mother's memory by replacing her with you. I have dishonoured you by the same mistake. You are not my mother, she is dead along with my father. Nothing I can do will bring them back, but that doesn't mean I should replace them. I am young and naive. There is so much I do not understand, so much I need to learn. I have been deprived of my education by past events, but I have also failed to use this second chance at life to better myself. I should have been learning, being better than I am. For this I am sorry. There is no excuse."

It was not the reply she expected, and she was about to respond when she noticed he hadn't finished. Tears had formed in his eyes. Tears of pain and regret. But those tears did not fall.

He spoke again, but with a hidden emotion underplaying each word.

"I have been denying myself the one thing I have been hoping for. The one thing no parent or friend can give. Even now I fight inside myself, wrestling against the truth for false reasons. I have based my life on logic alone, ignoring my feelings even when they have been so strong. I have forced myself to live as a shadow of who I am. So lost in my past that I cannot see what is right in front of me, and has been since I came here. No longer. I cannot live denying myself of these emotions. I know how you feel Renamon, it's clear in your eyes. Eyes that scared me on the roof. Eyes that scare me no more. I cannot ignore what I feel towards you, it will simply destroy me. No manner of death is worse than that. If it is your wish, we will walk this path together. Side by side. And should death take you first, know that I will be right behind you. Nothing will change that." Zero held his paw up towards Renamon, palm upwards in offer.

Renamon could only listen in silence as he spoke. She couldn't deny his self beratement even though she wanted to. His words meant more to her than she could say, so she simply did the one thing she knew that would make him understand. She took his paw in her own, her eyes never leaving his, and allowed a smile to grace her muzzle.

Zero's own smile followed shortly after, as well as an internal sense of clarity. He was finally doing the right thing, for her and for himself.

"Now, let us go home. It is getting late, and I'm sure your tamer is wondering where you have been all this time."

That was when Renamon noticed that it was getting dark. She looked into his eyes one last time before they set off towards home.

* * *

The life of a digimon can be many things. It can be short and full of pain, or long and full of good times and fond memories. Most of the time it's a mix of the two. But it is always a delete or be deleted life, never sure about the next threat waiting for you. Therefore, when opportunities arise, you have to take them quickly or risk loosing them forever.

This is the primal instinct of all digimon, and the current underlying thought present in the minds of Renamon and Zero.

They were laying on her bed, tails entwined as they expressed their feelings for each other in the only way they knew how. It may have been recently obtained knowledge, but they were quick to master it.

But there was a second thought present in Renamon's mind. She knew digimon lacked the necessary 'hardware' that came with genders. Apart from the voice she used and the grace she displayed in her movements, no one would be able to distinguish between male and female. Yet she knew about digimon parents, the memories from Zero also proved that. But she did not know how it was done without the additions to their forms.

It wasn't until a few minutes into their display that she broke away, her thoughts becoming too much for her to focus on. Zero saw the look in her eyes change.

"What's up?"

"This," she gestured to them both. "While I am happy to be going down this path with you, there is something missing."

A sparkle of amusement entered Zero's eyes as he registered where this was going. He placed a finger to her lips to silence her.

"So eager are we? I assume your referring to our lack of 'equipment' required for..." he trailed off purposely, watching the embarrassed look on her face.

"I'm not trying to push things, but I can't stop thinking about it."

"Then allow me to put your mind at rest. There is a very easy explanation for your dilemma. We are not mates."

"Not officially, no. But how do we become mates without-"

He cut her off again, amusement plain on his face.

"That's the whole point behind it. Until two digimon become mates, their 'hardware' will remain hidden." He noted the surprise on her face. "Yes we all have it, gender specific of course, but it is only accessed by mates. Contrary to what you are thinking, becoming mates doesn't involve performing anything that intimate, well not in the beginning anyway. It is customary to perform such actions after the mating, but I will leave that decision to you."

Zero took this time to gauge her reaction to his words, which he didn't have to wait long for.

"So how do we do this?"

He smiled again before closing his eyes and focusing himself. A few seconds later he opened his eyes again, but they were different. They carried a huge amount of emotion, primal in nature. Renamon didn't have many moments to think on those eyes before he moved his muzzle to the side of her neck, and bit her.

She expected pain from the attack and winced accordingly, but no pain came. She felt his teeth on her neck, and he was definitely applying enough force to draw digital blood, but there was no pain. No blood. No anything, except a growing feeling of, pleasure? It spread from the bite in her neck and suffused her body. She felt, bonded to Zero, as if she was his and his alone.

He retreated back after a few seconds, observing the mark he had made.

"Now you do the same to me. Focus your mind on how you feel, on your desires, and allow your body to do the rest."

Renamon closed her eyes. She thought of him and only him. The way she felt towards him. The way he made her feel being near her. She thought of everything she would do for him.

As she did this, she became aware of a primal urge that surged through her body, taking over as it did. She felt her eyes open, thick with the same primal emotions Zero had in his. She felt herself approach his neck with her jaw opening. She felt herself clamp down hard on his neck like he did to her. No blood came from the bite, nor did Zero seem to be in pain. Instead he seemed to feel the opposite. The same way she had felt when he bit her.

A few seconds after she bit him, she regained control of herself and pulled away, noticing the mark she had made. Confusion crossed her face before he explained what happened.

"What you see on me and wear on your neck is a mate mark. It symbolised our bond, which can only be broken by betrayal or death. It is also how we unlock our 'extra' parts." As he finished, he lent over to her mate mark and lightly ran his tongue across it.

Shivers of primal desire radiated from her mark as she felt her body change ever so slightly. As quickly as she felt it, it faded. She opened her eyes to see Zero admiring her new 'additions'. Before he could react to anything, she darted her head towards his neck and licked his mark, causing a similar reaction to him. Only his was more male, and seeing as he was over her, more visible.

He looked into her eyes again with mock indignity.

"Now what was that for? I wasn't ready for that."

She suppressed the urge to let her gaze drop slightly and gave him her best aggressive tone.

"I'm not having you staring at me like that without something for me to look at."

He smirked at this, but then turned deadly serious.

"I hope I never have to repeat this, but this level of intimacy is only for when we are alone. I will not tolerate indecency in public. Some digimon have been known to delete themselves over such humiliation. I do not plan on being one of them."

"You do not need to worry about that with me. But I can guarantee that every time we are alone for a length of time, I will not be denied."

The way she said it caused him to drop any form of thought about the possibility of humiliation. His gratitude was displayed in a smile on his muzzle.

"Well, with that said..."

* * *

Many people will say different things about that night. Some were asleep with their dreams, others with their worries for future events and possibilities. Some played out fanciful tales in their minds while their bodies rested. Some however were awake that night, and most of them will say they experienced the same thing.

A noise not unlike howling dogs or wolves echoing across the city, carrying such passion that even their human spines shuddered from the sound.


	16. Chapter 15

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 15

Zero awoke the next morning, slightly groggy from the previous night's activities, but otherwise in an elated mood. Memories of last night still strong in his mind. A smile formed on his muzzle as he recalled the difference in stamina between them. He glanced across at Renamon's sleeping form, his smile broadening.

_'She will be the end of me,' _came his most coherent thought of the morning. He settled back down and dozed lightly, trying to remove the last traces of sleep from his body.

It was then that Renamon woke, very much looking worse for wear. Her fur was ruffled and stuck out in various angles. She didn't mind though. For once her physical appearance took a backseat to her mindset. She couldn't believe what had happened last night, but she was very glad it did happen. Nothing could have prepared her for it. She cast her gaze down herself, noting how her form was back to how she normally looked, and across Zero's also normal form. A slight sigh of disappointment escaped her when she saw he was again hidden from her, and a devious grin graced her lips as an idea found its way into her head.

Leaning over gently she ran her tongue over his mark again, the reaction was almost poetic. Thus greeted with something to do, she began to 'awaken' him.

Zero wasn't asleep though. He heard her wake up, but was surprised at her actions. Not angry, but slightly exhilarated. But duty called. They still had a city to protect, and they couldn't do that in bed.

With a sigh Zero rolled away, shutting off the stimulations Renamon was giving him and returning himself to his normal form once again. Her disappointment was audible, but they both knew it was necessary.

"We still have a city out there that needs our vigilance, Renamon. As much as I'd want to, we can't stay here."

Renamon actually whimpered at that, and it almost broke Zero's resolve. But he held firm and proceeded to smooth his fur down as he walked to the door.

Renamon rose reluctantly, seeing her prize walk away. She too smoothed her fur and took her place at his side. But she couldn't resist one last gesture, as she wound her arm around his waist.

They opened the door to be greeted by a rather tired and upset Rika.

"Next time, keep the noise down would you? Some of us like to sleep at night."

Renamon flustered furiously under her fur, but Zero simply held Rika's gaze.

"And some of us don't. You should invest in some sound proofing."

This made Rika flush red as well as Zero simply grinned from ear to ear, quite an accomplishment seeing as his ears were so far back on his head.

His grin quickly dropped though when both him and Renamon felt a massive energy surge and Rika's digivice began wailing, the warning signs of a bioemerging digimon.

Zero bolted to the roof with Renamon close behind. Sure enough a blue pillar of light was seen towards the park.

Rika was already on her way there. Zero motioned for Renamon to follow her and took off by himself towards the now forming digital field.

He raced across the tops of trees and building alike, never losing his sure footing even at his fast pace. He arrived at the field a couple of minutes before anyone else and froze when he saw the digimon.

The tamers and their digimon arrived shortly after, and all gasped at the digimon in the field.

"Dorugreymon! It's even bigger than the one that was inside Zero!" Henry's observation jolted everyone back to awareness.

Instantly Zero's fighting instincts flared. This Dorugreymon was the one who chased him, only a higher level now. The time for vengeance was upon him. The Dorugreymon also recognised Zero.

"My my. How you have grown. It seems you beat my little trick. No matter. I'll still load you like I planned to. You will be mine! Metal Meteor!"

Zero dodged the attack and retaliated with one of his own.

"Blood Storm!"

"Rika! We need to digivolve! Zero can't take this guy alone!" Renamon pleaded.

"Right! Come on guys," Rika responded as she grabbed the card she needed, as did the others.

"Digi-Modify! Digivolution Activate!"

As the tamer digimon digivolved, so to did Zero step up his game. His power began to grow, he was not going to let this guy best him. He had to protect the others.

"Blood Renamon! Awaken!"

His horns shot out from his head, the blood red aura surrounding him. Fangs and claws ready, he bellowed with his semi-demonic voice.

"Blood Renamon Fury Mode!"

As one they launched their attacks.

"Fox Tail Inferno!"

"Pyro Blaster!"

"Gargo Laser!"

"Fury Storm!"

Dorugreymon was struck with the four attacks head on, but he simply shrugged them off. It was going to take a lot more than that to bring him down. Zero saw this and cursed. He needed to use his power to its full potential.

He gathered his aura once more and focused it into his palms, bringing them forward and clasping them together.

"FINAL FURY!"

The red blast slammed into the Dorugreymon who unleashed a pained cry, only for it to turn to laughter.

"Is that all you have? It's going to take a lot more than that to stop me! Metal Meteor!"

Zero couldn't dodge this time, he still had his Fury Mode active. Dorugreymon's attack hit him dead on, throwing him back into a heap.

"Zero!" Kyuubimon yelled. He didn't move. "Rika! We need our Ultimates!"

Rika grabbed a card as the other two did the same.

"Digi-Modify! Matrix Digivolution Activate!"

Kyuubimon, Growlmon and Gargomon were enveloped in a sphere of data, before bursting out as their Ultimate forms. As one they attacked.

"Atomic Blaster!"

"Tri-beam!"

"Talisman of Light!"

Their attacks struck Dorugreymon, who merely seemed to be annoyed by them. But he did turn his attention away from Zero.

A demonic roar erupted from where Zero laid, a heavy red glow surrounding his form. The tamers each heard their digivices state two words.

"Nightmare Digivolution!"

Another demonic roar sounded, followed by a semi-demonic voice.

"Blood Renamon Nightmare Digivolve to..."

"Nightmare digivolution?" Henry asked. No one knew what that meant. No one really wanted to find out.

Zero was surrounded in a black sphere, the red glow penetrating the lines of data giving the sphere a demonic look.

"I don't know what that is, but it can't be normal." Rika actually looked scared. They all did.

Another voice, only describable as truly demonic, bellowed across them.

"Nightmare Fenrimon!"

Zero emerged from the data sphere, looking very much like a nightmare. His body resembled a wolf in shape, but with pitch black fur. A red undertone highlighted his body, while crimson claws and teeth flashed in stark contrast. Five tails waved menacingly behind him while a crimson mane complimented his blood red eyes and completed his fear inspiring look.

Zero took a few steps towards Dorugreymon before launching his attack.

"Howling Nightmare!"

A black cone of energy poured from Zero's crimson maw and struck Dorugreymon in his chest. A real howl of pain cane from him this time. He did not expect this amount of power.

Henry gathered enough of himself to scan Zero in his new form.

"Nightmare Fenrimon. Advanced Nightmare Champion Virus type. No other information available. That doesn't answer what a Nightmare digimon is though. I've never heard of this before."

Anything else that might have been said was drowned out be Zero's second attack.

"Nightmare Charge!"

He ran at Dorugreymon, black flames surrounding his body and leaving trails in the ground. He lowered his head and slammed into the dragon digimon, before a huge black ball of energy exploded from them both. Dorugreymon managed one final surprised look and howl of excruciating pain before he disintegrated into data that Zero absorbed. He was not going to risk allowing Dorugreymon to come back again.

As the digital field dispersed Zero's nightmare form dissipated, leaving him in his normal Rookie form once more. He steadied himself before rising to his feet. Inside him he separated Dorugreymon's data and kept it isolated for future use, feeling he would need it soon. Normally he would allow it to merge with him, forcing him to digivolve to his next form, but he did not need to digivolve yet. So he kept it separate, ready for a time he might need it.

The others joined him, concerned for his digivolution and stability. He waved them off, he was fine. But there was one thing that needed to be sorted.

"Look, I know we have grown fond of one another, and that we are all friends here, but this cannot continue. My past is coming back for me and I will not place you in that danger. These are my fights. I am duty bound to protect you from them. I must do this alone."

And with those words said, Zero phased out and was gone.


	17. Chapter 16

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 16

The tamers saw very little of Zero since he decided to play the lone hero. Digital fields would appear and they would race to them, only for them to arrive and find the field fading and a familiar black silhouette running off. They knew why he wanted to do this alone, but they did not believe it was the right thing to do. They had been protecting this city for long enough to know there is strength in numbers. Zero going alone was only going to place him in even more danger.

Renamon was taking this harder than the others though. Given their behaviour towards each other before he left, she couldn't sit idle while he risked destroying himself for her. Yes he gave that short speech about him protecting all of them from his past, but she knew it was mainly to protect her. To make him seem worthy of her.

She had tried to chase him down after every fight he had been in, just to put some sense into him about his ridiculous decision. But everytime she got close, he phased out. A few times during their chases she was sure she could see his eyes glisten before he vanished. It took a while for her to realise that his eyes carried unshed tears for his departure. But if he wasn't happy about going solo, why was he so persistent to carry on?

It was true that Zero wasn't fond of his decision, but he had to protect his friends. He had to protect his mate. What other choice did he have?

Those thoughts dominated his mind in every fight. He became a ruthless killing machine. Devoid of all emotion and mercy in battles. He gave no quarter and expected none in return. Every fight was the same. Jump in, delete the digimon, load their data and leave before the tamers arrived. It was hard at first, his pride took a while to subside. He would finish his opponent and then turn to his non existent audience for praise. That hurt him a little, but he eventually shut it out. He had to do this. He had to be stronger.

He kept all the data he loaded isolated inside him, building up his supply for when he needed it. He didn't quite have enough to digivolve to his Champion form permanently, but the sudden rush of data would trick his form into believing he needed to digivolve for a short amount of time. It became his last resort if he couldn't defeat his opponents in his Rookie form.

* * *

It had been a full week since he left to go solo, and since then he had fought fifteen rouge digimon. Three of them had been ones from the attack on his village. Those three and two others had needed his Fury Mode to defeat them, twice using his Final Fury attack. He disliked using his Fury Mode, as it seemed a little piece of his control faded each time he did. But it was necessary. He had people to protect.

Now Zero stood sentinel on the edge of a roof, tempting any and all digimon to come his way. So lost in his drive for power he didn't notice Impmon approach him.

"Dere ya are! Been lookin' for ya for ages. Whacha playin' at?"

Zero gave him his cold stare look before responding.

"Power. I must be stronger. I need power."

Impmon flinched at this. Was this how he acted when he deleted Leomon before the D-Reaper incident?

"Look buddy, ya got it all wrong. Power is nothin' without somethin' ta fight for. I should know, I've been down dat path before. Nothin' but misery awaits ya dere."

"Power is everything! Power is strength! Power is digivolution! Power is life! You will not take that from me!"

The violence in his voice startled Impmon.

"Woah! Easy dere buddy! I'm tryin' ta help ya here!"

Zero looked away.

"I don't need help. I need power."

Any further responses were cut off by a digital field forming close by. Zero instantly phased out and ran towards it.

Impmon sighed. Zero was lost, and only he could find himself now.

Zero bounded into the digital field and sighted his opponent and smirked. A Gabumon. Rookie level. Easy prey.

"You lost Rookie? Allow me to point you in the right direction. Blood Storm!"

The Gabumon was shocked by the sudden attack but managed to dodge some of the shards, but most of them sliced into him. He howled in pain before unleashing his own attack.

"Blue Blaster!"

Zero smirked again. Such a weak attack didn't need dodging. He took it full on and laughed.

"That all you got Rookie?"

Gabumon paled. His strongest attack had no effect on this digimon, and he was seriously injured after his opening attack. This wasn't going to go well.

"Blood Paw!"

Zero dived at Gabumon and swung his fist forward, connecting with the rogues jaw. Gabumon had time for one last howl before Zero's foot caught him in his gut, turning him into data. Zero absorbed his spoils and bounded up to the nearest roof, isolating the new data from himself. Still not enough for his Champion form to be permanent, but closer than he was before.

He was unmatched. He was unstoppable.

He was Zero, protector of this world, and nothing was going to stand in his way. He would take the power that was rightfully his. He claimed this world as his own.

He allowed a small grin at Impmon's words.

"No, my poor delusioned friend. Power_ is _everything!"


	18. Chapter 17

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 17

It had been two weeks since Zero struck out on his lone hero act and Renamon had had enough. She needed to knock some sense into him, even if it meant literally beating it into him.

So between her and the tamers they devised a plan to get Zero back.

It would start with contacting Ryo in the digital world. They kept in touch with him regularly as he patrolled the digital world, keeping the balance of power even. It was his job to disperse large groups of powerful digimon, like the one that attacked Zero's village, and delete them if necessary. Why he missed the group responsible for destroying the Blood Renamon village was unknown to them, but they had another favour to ask him this time.

He would re-enter the real world, making it seem like a rogue digimon was bioemerging, before fixing the digital field with a small device he has been working on. He would then return to the digital world before the portal closed and Renamon would take his place in the field, with her digital signal scrambled enough for Zero not to recognise her. She would pose as the rogue who came through and fight him until he could not continue. Only then would she reveal her true identity and make him realise how foolish he had been.

She didn't like the idea of fighting him, partly because he was stronger than her, but Rika had a plan for that as well.

She would be hidden, but able to see the fight, and boost Renamon's power to match Zero's. He had to be beaten so they could get him back. It was the only way.

So they waited at the point Ryo was going to appear. It had taken only a few days to organise, but the time for putting their plan into action was here.

The now famous blue pillar of light appeared in front of them as Rika swiped the scrambler card, masking Renamon's true data signal. The digital field formed around them and Ryo appeared soon after. They had to act quickly, Zero wouldn't be too far away. Ryo stabilised the field and hid the device with Rika before disappearing back through the portal as it closed. They didn't have to wait long, as a soft thud sounded in front of Renamon. Zero was here.

He landed with a soft thud, scanning the field for his latest opponent. He saw a familiar silhouette in front of him and smirked. A Renamon. This should be interesting.

"Well well. Finally a challenge. You picked the wrong time to come here. Blood Storm!"

Renamon flinched, not at his sudden appearance but at the tone of voice he used. He sounded like a manic, power hungry beast. Nothing like the Zero she knew. Had he really gone that far?

She dodged his attack and sighted him barrelling towards her, already lining up his second attack.

"Blood Paw!"

She reacted fast, powering up her own attack.

"Power Paw!"

Fist met fist with a deafening blow, the energy from both attacks pushing them both back. Renamon secretly thanked Rika for applying the power boost card earlier. She righted herself in time to see Zero already charging her again, savage joy plastered over his muzzle.

He swung at her again and again, but every hit was dodged or countered. This rogue was good. He couldn't stop the grin forming on his face. He needed more power.

He absorbed the data of two Rookies he previously loaded and boosted his own power, before attacking again.

"Blood Paw!"

He swung at her again, and she countered again.

"Power Paw!"

Zero's power was higher now, and he succeeded in throwing her back from the impact. She landed heavily but rose quickly before he could finish her. She sent a quick pleading thought to Rika and dodged his next attack aimed at her neck, narrowly avoiding his claws.

Rika mentally nodded at Renamon's request and swiped the only card she could, a Hyper Chip card.

With her boosted power, Renamon countered Zero's attack, sending him back hard. He rose quickly again and ran at her one more time. But this time was different. He jumped up and crossed his arms.

_'He wouldn't...'_

"Blood Storm!"

Renamon quickly countered.

"Diamond Storm!"

The attacks struck each other, Zero's being completely stopped whilst Renamon's continued on. Zero had no time to dodge and was blasted back into the side of a building with a yelp of pain.

Renamon flinched at the yelp, she didn't like hurting him. But she had no choice. She had to do this. She approached Zero, thinking he was down, but stopped when she saw him smiling.

"Nicely done. It's a shame it was for nothing."

Zero released all his data stored away and absorbed it into himself. Raw power rushed through him. It was too much for his form. His last resort came into play.

Renamon backed off when she saw the data sphere form around him. This wasn't good.

"Blood Renamon Digivolve to..."

_'He digivolved? Now how can I get him back? Rika!' _Renamon sent the last thought to her tamer. Rika mentally nodded again and prepared the digivolution card.

_'You're not going to like this, but you need to be hit by one of his attacks. Otherwise it will look too suspicious that you digivolved.'_

Renamon nodded, she didn't like it. But it had to be done. This was going to hurt.

"Blood Kyuubimon!"

Zero strode from the building in his new form. Essentially a black version of her own Champion form, Renamon couldn't help but feel fear from his appearance. He looked more ferocious than her. She had grace, he had power. Now she saw their differences. This was really going to hurt.

Zero fanned his nine tails out behind him and released his new attack.

"Blood Tail Barrage!"

Renamon tried to dodge, but one of his energy balls struck her flank, catapulting her back into a tree. She was right. It did hurt.

Rika saw her chance and swiped the card, silently sorry for allowing her partner this level of pain.

"Renamon Digivolve to..."

Zero looked on with surprise. This fight just got a lot more interesting.

"Kyuubimon!"

They faced off each other again before Kyuubimon released her own attack, countered by Zero's.

"Fox Tail Inferno!"

"Blood Tail Barrage!"

Nine blue fireballs met nine red energy balls, but Kyuubimon's attack was stronger thanks to the Hyper Chip card still in effect. She knew this, but her attack held no power after colliding with his.

Zero quickly followed up.

"Blood Dragon Strike!"

Kyuubimon dodged the red dragon that materialised from Zero's spinning form and watched it slam into the ground where she stood moments before. She may be stronger, but that would still have hurt a lot.

Zero growled in frustration after seeing his attack miss. He felt his fury build inside him. Maybe he would need his Fury Mode after all.

Kyuubimon saw the first signs of his fury essence building. She had to finish this now or risk being deleted. She jumped up and span her body like a cartwheel, releasing her attack.

"Dragon Wheel!"

A blue dragon formed from her body and powered towards Zero. He had no time to dodge. Her attack hit him dead on, slamming him back into the same building. Hard.

He cried out in pain, the fury essence dispersing as his form shimmered and de-digivolved back to his Rookie form. He was defeated. He had failed.

Renamon stood over him with an expressionless look. He lifted his head and bared his neck to her.

"Make it quick."

Renamon decided that he was finished. She dropped her stance and unmasked her digital signal.

Zero instantly recognised her as his Renamon, but he couldn't understand why she had done this to him.

"Now do you see? We are stronger together. Your weaknesses are my strengths. What good will become of you deleting yourself and leaving us? We protect this city as well. We have done for longer than you have. We work together to become stronger. How can you protect us if you are dead? Your battles are our battles. We are in no more danger with you than if we weren't. You want to prove yourself? Start by learning some sense."

Zero looked away in shame. She was right. He had selfishly loaded data with no concern for anything but his own power. Impmon's words echoed in his mind again.

_'Power is nothin' without somethin' ta fight for.'_

Now he understood. But it shamed him further.

"I have been a fool. I loaded data with no concerns except the desire for power. I have failed myself by becoming the very thing that destroyed my village and those I knew. I abandoned those I care for for selfish greed."

"Better to realise now rather than die without ever knowing your mistake."

She offered her paw to him and after a few moments hesitation he took it, allowing her to help him up as he draped his left arm over his waist. Pain surged through him as he stood, but he managed to support himself.

"Come on fox face. The others are waiting for you." Renamon walked off and round a corner to meet the others, Zero followed shortly after.

Renamon joined the others as Rika greeted her.

"Did it work? Is he back?"

"Yes Rika. Zero is back."

The relief was obvious, but Takato voiced one last point.

"Um, that's good, but where is he?"

Renamon turned around expecting to see Zero walking towards her, but he wasn't there. She walked back round the corner, thinking he had left them again, and broke into a run when she saw him laying face down on the ground.

"Zero!"

Renamon was at his side in an instant. She rolled him onto his back and gasped. Tears formed in her eyes at the sight that greeted her.

Zero's chest was rapidly disintegrating, exposing the digital matrix underneath. His eyes were half closed and he smiled weakly.

"Guess...you...got...me...good..."

"Zero. I'm so sorry...I didn't..."

He summoned the last of his strength to cut her off.

"It's not your fault Renamon. I should have listened before. This is my own doing. You cannot blame yourself. I won't allow it."

Zero weakly took her paw in his as Renamon's tears spilled down her face. She frantically grabbed at the data particles escaping from his body and tried to press them back into his chest, hoping she could keep him here but knowing she couldn't. But she had to try. He couldn't leave her.

"Remember Renamon. Remember that I will always love you. Remember..."

Renamon screamed his name to the heavens as his body disintegrated before her, blowing away in the wind. His data briefly formed an image of his body floating in front of her and gave her one last smile before he faded.

Within mere seconds, Zero was gone.


	19. Chapter 18

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 18

Losing someone close is never an easy thing. Family, friends. It doesn't matter. Losing someone you know is hard, losing someone you love is harder.

Some people never accept it. They mourn for a lifetime, as if it happened yesterday. Going through life as a shell of themselves. Often watching someone like this is difficult enough, not knowing how to help or comfort them.

Others believe it never happened, utterly convinced that the one they lost will just appear around the corner or through the door. They may even speak to this person, even if they are alone. It's often even harder to be around these people, having conversations with someone who isn't around anymore.

Human or digimon, loss is never easy. Renamon was no different.

The others were deeply cut by Zero's death. They tried to get on with their lives after the short time they knew him, but small reminders remained. Battle scars from fights he had been in. Memories of things they had done. And two digimon who were part of the attack on his village. They had demanded to have Zero brought to them, to delete him themselves. Obviously that wasn't possible, and the tamers had to defeat the rogues before they attacked the city. But every day was a reminder of Zero. None of them could escape it.

Renamon was the worst of them. She had spent the whole first week after his death in mourning. She kept herself in her room without sleeping or eating, just screaming and crying. Wishing he would walk in and make things all right again. She could not bring herself to accept he was gone, she denied it with her very digital soul.

Then it got worse.

After the first week, Renamon burst out of her room. She screamed her defiance at his death and told everyone he was still alive. She actually looked happy about it. It had taken a few days to get her to control herself, after which they all tried to make her understand that Zero was gone. She denied it, saying she knew he was alive. She pointed to her mate mark. It was still there.

"Zero said these marks only disappear from betrayal or death. Mine is still here, so it still has a connection to his. Which means he is still alive!"

No one could find a way to argue this, there was no other reason for her mark to still be there. But no one could believe he was alive. They all saw him go.

By some miracle of persuasion, Renamon managed to convince the others to help her find him. HYPNOS couldn't do anything from their end, but they contacted Ryo in the digital world. If Zero was alive, that was where he would be.

* * *

Ryo had his hands full keeping the peace amongst the digimon, routing out conspiracies and removing dangerous digimon. He was also trying to prevent powerful digimon making their way to the real world, though some did get past him. Now he was being asked to search the entire digital world for one digimon, a task that was impossible even for him.

But hearing Renamon's pleading voice, he couldn't just say no. He agreed to keep an eye out for Zero whilst he was on his runs, but he couldn't promise anything. Even if he could just focus on finding Zero, the digital world was too big. They could spend the rest of their lives looking for him and never find him. With so many levels now populated with digimon, he could literally be anywhere.

It had been two months since Zero's death. Even though no one wanted to admit it, they had all given up hope of finding him. All except Renamon. She was still as defiant as ever, still convinced he would come back to her. She spent most of her time checking her mark, making sure it was still there. She did almost nothing else. Barely eating. Barely sleeping. She hadn't fought another digimon since Zero died but she still went to every digital field, hoping it was him coming through.

Everyone else was seriously concerned by this. Rika hadn't been able to convince Renamon to fight. She would come in and see the rogue, then sit at the side checking her mark again. It became a regular habit of hers, one they all needed to break. They could see her slipping away more each day. They could see how she changed. Her eyes were tired. Her form was weakened. Even her voice lost its core, becoming a ragged sound barely passing for words.

Ryo had still found no sign of Zero. Each chance he got he went looking. He chose the most likely areas first, then widened his search. Even when he was on one of his errands he would make slight detours and keep an eye out, just to see a sign of him.

HYPNOS had tried to do what they could from their end. Scanning each incoming rogue to see if it matched Zero's signal. Conducting wide, but low strength searches of the digital world's top level. But they had no more luck then anyone else.

If Zero was alive, it was unlikely he was going to be found anytime soon. Everyone except Renamon already believed he was dead, that he was not going to come back. One day, even she will have to agree on that. If she survived long enough.

* * *

Two and a half months later, Ryo was on yet another mission. Something, almost certainly a digimon, was going around the third level and leaving a massive trail of destruction. Hoards of digimon were being deleted and loaded en-mass. Normally this wasn't uncommon, because it led to the digimon trying to enter the real world with its new found power. But this was different. It was localised. Only certain types of digimon were being targeted, those that had fallen from the grace of their Sovereigns. Dark digimon.

This is also normally a good thing. Dark digimon were a constant threat to the stability of the digital world, and deleting them was never easy. They possessed a much higher strength than normal and knew exactly how to use it. But if something was loading dark digimon data, then that something would be incredibly powerful. Even if it was doing the world a favour, it could very quickly have the opposite effect.

And so Ryo, along with the now loyal Cyberdramon, walked side by side through yet another battle scene. He had lost count of how many he had seen, but he was noting how fresh they were. This one seemed to be only a few days old. They were getting closer.

Cyberdramon was always known to be a bit unruly, possessing an insatiable lust for battle. But since he was part of the D-Reaper's defeat, what else remained that was more powerful? He had defeated the ultimate opponent. There was no longer a need to search for another worthy challenger. Of course he still fought, but he was much more responsive to his tamer. Something Ryo was very glad about.

They continued on, out of the battle scars and back into the woods. Constantly looking for more signs of their target and keeping alert for ambush attempts by any digimon who wanted to try their luck. It wasn't until a few hours later that they heard the familiar sounds of digimon combat ahead.

Cyberdramon sensed it first, two digimon fighting ahead. Ryo heard the sounds a moment after and both rushed towards the fight. Cyberdramon could tell one was a dark digimon by its scent, corrupted so much it became stagnant. He told Ryo of the dark digimon's presence which only confirmed that the other digimon was their target.

The fight ended before they got there, but the other digimon didn't move. It had probably sensed their approach and now waited for more data. Cyberdramon began to slip into his fighting stance as he moved closer to the clearing they could sense the digimon in. Ryo was still checking for possible ambushes, but prepared himself and his cards to fight this threat.

They reached the clearing and saw their target for the first time. The dark shale turned to them and grinned slightly before addressing them.

"About time you two got here. I was beginning to think you had grown tired of finding me."

Cyberdramon was poised for his attack, waiting for Ryo to set him loose. But Ryo couldn't speak. He gaped at the digimon in front of them, speechless with disbelief for a few moments until he found his voice.

"Zero?"


	20. Chapter 19

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 19

Ryo just gaped. He could not believe that he was here after all this time. Almost three months had passed, yet here he was. Still the same as they described him, down to the mark on his neck. The mark that Renamon's hope clung to.

Zero stepped forwards until he was inches from Ryo, ignoring the growls from Cyberdramon. Ryo still stood, gaping. A sight that gave him no dignity.

Zero slapped him across his face, though not with his full strength. He didn't want to hurt Ryo, just snap him back to reality. It worked.

"What did you do that for?"

"Gaping does you no favours, and you need to control metal-dinomon there before he growls this place apart."

Cyberdramon growled again, until Ryo told him who Zero was. He dropped his stance, but still growled slightly. Apparently he didn't like being called metal-dinomon.

"That's better. Now, what took you so long? Or, more importantly, why are you even here? After my, um, death I suppose, I wouldn't have thought to see any of you again. Not that I didn't want to, but the chances of me getting back up there are slim." Zero said as he pointed up to the real world above them.

"If I'm being honest, I believe I speak for all of us except Renamon when I say we believed you were dead. For good. Only Renamon thought otherwise, and she still does. Although it isn't doing her any favours. It doesn't take much to work out she is missing you."

"That's Renamon alright. Never could let anything go. But that doesn't explain why you are here."

"Um, right. Well we have been tracking a digimon that's been targeting dark digimon in huge numbers. I take it that is you?" Zero nodded before Ryo continued. "Well, you have done both world a big favour by deleting them. If you were any other digimon chances are we would have to delete you as well. No one should have that much power inside them, but you we know. I just hope you are still you."

"Who else am I going to be? Just because I'm loading digimon doesn't make me different. Being an In-training digimon isn't a very safe way of life. I had to prey on weak digimon to digivolve back to this form. The dark digimon were in my way. Just smelling them told me they shouldn't be here. Such, darkness. I thought I had unstable power inside me, those dark digimon are something else."

"What do you mean unstable power inside you?"

"My Fury essence. A manifestation of my pure anger. Something I cannot control, and cannot be controlled. I have lapsed three times whilst fighting here and it has taken over me. It's becoming harder to suppress it."

"Well at least you are here now. I'm sure the others will want to know you are alive, especially Renamon."

Zero paled at that thought. There was going to be hell when he and Renamon were alone. If she didn't kill him with her apologies and crying, her actions afterwards might. But he couldn't wait to get back. His life awaited him.

"I take it you have a way back?"

Ryo produced a small device from a pocket.

"This device is capable of opening a portal here to anywhere in the real world I like. It's how I have been keeping the others updated with things, and how we orchestrated the fake rogue you fought. Though sadly that could have gone better."

"Well let's not keep the others waiting. I may have died once, but I'm sure Renamon will kill me again if she found out I kept her waiting."

Ryo grinned at that before activating the device. In an instant they were being whisked through the air and into to the plane of existence that separated the digital world from the real one. This was the second time Zero saw the data lines swirling around him, but this time he knew where he was going.

* * *

There was barely enough time for the alarms to sound in HYPNOS before the incoming signals bioemerged in Shinjuku park. The tamers were already close by and arrived quickly. A bioemergence this quick was almost certainly Ryo coming through, but he wasn't due to update them for another day or so.

And so it was that they entered the digital field, Renamon's eyes clinging to that hope once more, and saw Ryo and Cyberdramon standing in the middle as usual. But it was the figure next to them that caught their attention. The one they believed to be dead forever. The one Renamon had convinced herself that was still alive. The one that was Zero.

Renamon instantly bounded towards him, knocking them both over. Zero landed on his back with an "Oof!" as the air was driven out of him, Renamon securely weighted on top. She rambled incoherent things about her being sorry, her believing he would come back to her and her never wanting to lose him again. As touching as this seemed to him, the need to breathe was a higher priority.

He prised her off him and inhaled deeply to refill his oxygen starved lungs. Digital or not, he still needed to breathe. Before Renamon could reattach herself to him, he held her away so he could look into her eyes as he spoke.

"Renamon. What happened before is over. I will hear no more about how you blame yourself for my death. I am back and that is all that matters. But I do ask you keep from strangling me so I can talk to the others who are obviously waiting to hear me."

She nodded, unable to speak though her tears of joy and relief, and wrapped herself around him. But she refrained from applying too much pressure so he could speak freely.

"Right. Who wants to go first?"

This brought confused looks from the tamers and their digimon, whereas Ryo and Cyberdramon bade their farewells and returned to the digital world. The digital field faded before Zero spoke again.

"Well one of you is bound to have questions, right?"

Takato was the first to realise what Zero meant.

"Oh right. Yes. Um, ok. Where have you been? We thought-"

"That I was dead?" Zero finished. "I was. But digimon don't just die if they aren't loaded into another. There is a small chance that our data returns to the digital world and reforms us in our basic In-training form. And an even smaller chance that we retain our memories of our previous life. Lets just say I got very lucky, and I don't plan on attempting to do it again."

"So you are back, and you are still you?" Rika added.

"I'm still me. I would have thought you'd guessed that by now."

"So you are you, and you are back. But you didn't say what you were doing."

Zero looked thoughtful before replying, his eyes downcast.

"I'm not proud of what I have done to get here, but it was the only way. I had to prey on the young and weak to get enough data to take my Rookie form again. I can still hear their pleas for me to spare them, I can still see their faces filled with fear." Zero faltered, emotion thick in his voice. "I...I became the very thing I tried to avoid. The type of digimon who craves power no matter the cost. I thought I'd learnt the first time, but it seems I was wrong. I'm no better than the ones who destroyed my village."

Renamon tightened her grip slightly, offering reassurance.

"You did what you had to do, Zero. No one can condemn you for following your nature. You know all digimon abide by this. We cannot get stronger without loading others, unless we have tamers. That doesn't mean you have to like it, in fact it makes you better if you don't. You survived by measures you did not want. That makes you a better digimon."

Zero sighed, some tension in his body releasing itself. He didn't respond, but they could all see the impact of Renamon's words. It wasn't until then that they noticed the now obvious signs of his fatigue.

"I think it's best we continue this another time. You look like you could do with some rest." Rika stated, although directing the last part at Renamon as well. "Come on, we'll take you home."

Zero just nodded, not trusting himself to speak as they began to go their separate ways home. Renamon still held him as they walked, and he welcomed the gesture. His own energy was low and without her help he wouldn't have been able to walk very far. They kept to the shadows as best they can, not wanting to attract attention.

They made the uneventful trip home in silence. Zero was too focused on his emotions whereas Renamon was immeasurably glad that he was back. As they entered their room Zero made his way to the bed and sunk into it. Renamon was more graceful as she took her place next to him, focused on reaffirming her feelings for him. But Zero was already asleep. So she simply tucked herself up to him and ventured off into the land of dreams once more.


	21. Chapter 20

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 20

Zero's dreams were troubled. He trembled in his sleep, often turning violently before jolting awake. After the first time he woke up he had moved away from Renamon, she needed to sleep as much as he did and his movements would eventually wake her up. Now he laid on the floor next to the bed, drifting back to sleep before snapping awake again. He saw them all, all the digimon he had loaded. He saw their faces. He heard their cries. He felt them all blame him for what he has become. He also saw the attack on his village, only he wasn't where he remembered he was. He lead the attack, loading more data than any other digimon. Deleting former friends and family, people who trusted him. Each one he deleted had that same look on their faces. The look of betrayal. He felt himself crave power, demand power. Without it he would be nothing. So he loaded every single digimon in his village, before turning on the others involved in the attack. He loaded them too, until he stood alone in the burning ruins of his former home. He bellowed his victory before the vision turned black and he jolted awake once more.

It was always the same that night. The same dream. The same sudden awakening. But each time it got worse. It felt stronger, more real. He actually began to believe it happened, that he was the one who attacked his own village.

The dream returned as he settled again. He tried not to sleep, but his lack of energy forced him to do so. The visions passed across him again, as he unconsciously clawed the floor underneath him. He tossed and turned in his sleep, unable to break the dream.

Renamon heard the sounds of Zero moving and clawing, and had awoken enough to notice where he was and what he was doing. Before she could do anything else, a terrified scream exploded from his mouth as he bolted awake once more. She was awake in an instant, wrapping herself around him in a vague attempt at comfort. She felt him tremble violently, saw the deep claw marks all around him in the floor. She could see the tears in his eyes and hear his ragged breathing.

This dream was the worst one of them all. He actually saw himself kill his own parents as they looked at him with those eyes. Eyes that carried a deep hurt and betrayal, eyes he never saw in his parents before. Eyes that regarded him as a monster. In just that one look he could tell they no longer loved him, that they no longer saw him as a part of them. They had disowned him, right before he deleted and loaded them. He felt himself laugh maniacally as the horns grew from his head once more, his laugh becoming semi-demonic.

That's when he had screamed. That's when he had awoken. And that's when he felt Renamon hold him close, trying her best to comfort him. She whispered sweet nothings into his ear, coaxing him back to sleep. He drifted off soon after with Renamon still holding him. His dreams remained, but they were not as powerful as they were before. He believed in her. She was his life now. She was his anchor in this world, and he was not about to let go.

He slept slightly better afterwards, only waking up partially before returning to sleep again. Each time he woke he could feel Renamon still holding him, providing the comfort he needed to get back to sleep again. They both remained that way until the morning.

* * *

Zero awoke for the last time to be greeted by daylight. He was still very tired, but he had recovered some of his energy despite his turbulent dreams. Renamon was well rested. She had recovered from her ordeals completely, even though he had woken her up during the night. They both stirred and, with much force on Zero's part, rose and left their room. After their morning routing of stretching and a quick bite to eat, they were both ready for the day.

Zero wasn't up to speed yet but he still put on his brave face, hiding the true him behind his mask of strength. He knew Renamon would ask him about last night, but he didn't want anyone else to start asking questions.

A quick spar with Renamon proved his strength hadn't fully returned, but she did soften her blows so they were evenly matched. There was no point in beating the life out of him, it was just a training exercise. And she had already killed him once, hitting him too hard in his weakened state risked killing him again.

They spent the rest of the day patrolling the city whilst not straying too far from each other. Renamon didn't quite trust him to be alone for the time being. What she had seen last night had scared her. She had only seen him truly scared when he was Blood Viximon. Seeing him scared now was worrying, she didn't know what was powerful enough to cause that reaction in him.

They stopped to rest later on that day on a quiet rooftop not too far from Rika's house. Zero needed the rest much more than Renamon since he wasn't fully recovered. She didn't mind though. It gave her a chance to find out what happened last night. As he relaxed on the roof, Renamon took her place beside him.

"Zero?"

He looked over to her.

"Yes, Renamon?"

"What happened last night?"

Zero sighed. "I had a feeling this was going to come up." He shifted his position slightly to get more comfortable. "You remember what I said yesterday, about how I was able to take this form?" She nodded before he continued. "I saw their faces. Every single one. Each pleaded for their lives, asking me to spare them. I didn't. I butchered them all. Then I saw the attack on my village, only I wasn't watching. I lead the attack, slaughtering my own people and loading their data. I watched as my parents died by my own hands. The look in their eyes, I will never forget it even though it wasn't real. They showed betrayal. They looked at me like I was a monster, which I was. I can't shake that dream. It felt so real."

"It wasn't real Zero. Dreams are just dreams. You know what really happened to your village, where you really were that day. Their deaths are not your doing. I told you yesterday that you did what you had to so you could survive. There is no shame in that. The fact you took lives whilst not enjoying it means you are not a monster. You are you, always were. Always will be. Never forget who you are, or you'll have me beating it back into you."

Zero smiled slightly for the first time since he had come back. Normally the thought of Renamon beating him was daunting, but at the moment he was more focused on her words. He knew it wouldn't be easy to forget what he had done, but he did know that she would be there every moment he needed her.

After their rest they continued on the patrol of the city. Zero's mind was clearer now, but he still couldn't completely shake those thoughts from his head.

* * *

It was on their way back home afterwards that they saw the blue pillar and felt the bioemergence. Renamon sensed Rika was already on her way, so she joined Zero as they made their way to the digital field.

By the time they arrived the others were already preparing to fight the rogue.

"Rika, it's a Weregarurumon! Ultimate level. We're going to need everything we have to beat this, including Zero!"

Zero shuddered at the thought of fighting again so soon, but accepted that it needed to be done. He took his place next to the other three digimon and prepared to fight as the tamers digivolved their digimon to their Ultimate levels. He released all the data he had stored inside him, but it was not enough to make him digivolve. He cursed to himself and leapt forwards, preparing his first attack.

"Zero! No! It's a Vaccine type!" Henry shouted.

Too late. Zero called out his attack.

"Blood Storm!"

He watched in dismay as his attack bounced off harmlessly, he only seemed to draw the rogues attention.

"Wolf Claw!"

Weregarurmon's attack connected with Zero before he could dodge, propelling him back and into the ground. He landed hard and struggled back to his feet as the others joined the fight.

"Talisman of Light!"

"Atomic Blaster!"

"Rapid Fire!"

Weregarurmon was bombarded with attacks, but he still stood firm. He retaliated with another Wolf Claw attack and brought all three digimon down, reverting them back to their Rookie forms.

"No way! This guy must almost be at mega level to withstand that!" Takato observed before rushing to Guilmon's side, Henry and Rika following suit.

Zero saw them go down. He regarded the rogue with pure hatred. He felt his fury grow, but he suppressed it. His energy still increased, but not from fury. A sphere of data engulfed him as he stepped towards Weregarurumon.

"Blood Renamon Digivolve to... Blood Kyuubimon!"

Zero stood firm in his Champion form, already releasing his first attack.

"Blood Tail Barrage!"

Even this attack had no effect, so he followed up with another. He felt his fury rise again.

"Blood Dragon Strike!"

Again he had no effect. He simply wasn't powerful enough. His fury exploded inside him, no longer able to suppress it. The red aura formed around him again.

"That can't be good." Rika stated.

"No, it isn't." Renamon added.

"Blood Kyuubimon Awaken!"

The horns formed again, similar to his Rookie form, but his claws grew longer and sharper. His mane became more aggressive, and the ghost fire that flickered across him grew to twice its strength.

"Blood Kyuubimon Fury Mode!" Zero once again had a semi-demonic voice, similar to his Rookie's Fury Mode.

He wasted no time before attacking again.

"Fox Tail Fury!"

Nine red fireballs struck the rogue, but he swiped them away. Zero angered further before attacking yet again.

"Fury Dragon!"

Similar to his Blood Dragon Strike, an incandescent red dragon formed from pure fury energy and slammed into Weregarurumon. He staggered slightly, but otherwise showed no effect from that attack. This caused Zero's anger to boil over, and he was engulfed in another sphere of black data. The tamers digivices once again stated the unknown phrase.

"Nightmare Digivolution!"

"Here we go again." Rika stated as Zero began his transformation.

"Blood Kyuubimon Nightmare Digivolve to... Nightmare Fenrimon!"

He immediately attacked with his most powerful ability.

"Howling Nightmare!"

This new attack struck the rogue digimon directly in his chest and knocked him over, pain clearly visible on his face. Zero loosed a rippling growl of victory, before Weregarurmon was surrounded by a white sphere of data.

"That is definitely not good! Come on Renamon! You need to digivolve again." Rika pleaded.

Renamon shook her head. "I can't, too weak."

The data sphere faded to reveal Metalgarurmon. A Mega level. He didn't wait around for anyone to read his stats.

"Metal Wolf Claw!"

Zero tried to dodge, but only succeeded in reducing the attack to a glancing blow. It still hurt, but it wasn't critical. He bellowed a demonic roar of defiance before releasing another Howling Nightmare at the digimon. But Metalgarurmon was too strong, and the attack had no effect.

Zero growled again. He was the only digimon who could fight at the moment, and he was having no effect on this Mega. He could not fail again. Not when the lives of his friends, of his mate, were at risk. He had to defeat this rogue. For them. For her.

A deep power rose inside him, flaring his aura to twice its size. He felt his form twist and morph, but it wasn't digivolution. This was different. The fury essence inside him was released fully, taking over his body and suffusing it with unimaginable power. He grew in size, standing on his hind legs as his forelegs became arms. His claws extended and widened, becoming clawed hands. His head became more reptilian in look as his fur became thicker.

The tamers digivices began wailing, making noises that they should never make.

"Digivolution... Warning... Error... Data corruption... Digivol...error error... Critical flaw... Unstable data... Warning... Errrrrrrrrrrrrrr... Error..."

"What's going on?" Rika asked, looking confused and worried. Before she could get a reply, the digivices all went blank before displaying a symbol. A red downwards triangle with an upwards triangle at each corner.

The symbol of the Digital Hazard.


	22. Chapter 21

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 21

"Warning... Digital Hazard detected... Critical system error... Corruption imminent... Digivolution unstable... Energy spike detected... Error... Error... Error..."

This message was heard from the tamers digivices and in HYPNOS, the Digital Hazard symbol across every screen. Everyone knew what this meant. Everyone knew there was nothing they could do to stop it.

Zero stood in his new form, pure darkness poured from him obsuring his true shape. Red glowing eyes were the only thing visible through his shroud, pulsing with power. And the red Digital Hazard symbol glowing from his chest. A warning to both worlds of impending destruction.

Lights flickered and died as mass power outages raced across the city. Communication systems were cut off. Everything electronic ceased to work, only to display the Digital Hazard symbol.

Seizmic activity began to shake the digital world, massive chunks of the ground rose and fell. Huge chasms formed through mountains, and vast lakes were drained as they split apart.

The Digital Hazard's very existance would bring the end of both worlds in a matter of hours.

The thing that used to be Zero stepped towards Metalgarurmon, who now actually looked afraid. He released attack after attack at the black digimon, but none of them even hit him. Every attack dissipated before contacting him.

Henry's digivice cleared long enough to scan this new digimon, before reverting back to the warnings.

"Cataclysmon. Unknown level. Unknown type. Unknown attacks. Great. Oh, it says something else." Henry scrolled down the readout. "This digimon should never exist. It is the strongest known manifestation of the Digital Hazard, unlocked through shear rage. Simply existing in either world will bring the end of both in a few hours."

"It's like the Apocalypse!" Takato nervously said, fear obvious in his voice and body. Rika and Henry were no better.

Cataclysmon backed the rogue into a corner before condensing a small portion of his shroud into his fists.

"Darkness Blast!"

The voice sent shivers down everyone's spine. Demonic didn't fully describe it.

A sphere of black energy slammed into him and knocked him into a building. He struggled back to his feet, only to come eye to eye with his doom.

Cataclysmon gathered another portion of his infinite shroud into one fist and thrust it towards Metalgarurmon.

"Everlasting Nightmare!"

Metalgarurmon didn't get a chance to do anything before he dispersed into data.

Cataclysmon stepped back, before clutching his head in pain. Within a few seconds, Zero stood in his Rookie form once more with his back to the others. But he didn't turn around. He just stood.

Renamon had recovered enough to move normally, thanks to Rika. She made her way towards Zero as he howled in pain, his Fury Mode horns forming part way from his head before sinking back in. She was at his side a second later.

"Zero, are you alright? What's going on?"

He didn't even look at her as he spoke.

"I'm losing control. My fury... Its taking oveeerrraaaaaagggghh!" Zero's horns again began to extend from his head, only to sink back after reaching half their length. Renamon placed her paw on his shoulder as he sank to his knees and lent forwards onto his fore paws. He shrugged her off as soon as he felt her contact.

"Renamon... I can't fight this... You need to... Subdue me... Before I lose it..."

"What do you mean? You're scaring me Zero." Tears began to form in her eyes as she spoke.

Zero gripped her arm tightly.

"If you... Do not do this... I will die... And take all of... You with me... Promise me... That you wont... Let that happen..."

"I promise Zero. What do I do?"

"Subdue me... Before it wins..." Zero barely finished before he howled again, his horns shooting out once more.

Renamon wasted no time. She summoned her Power Paw attack and slammed her fist into the back of his head. It took three impacts before he slumped forwards unconscious, the horns receeding back again. The tears her eyes held now spilled down her face. She looked at his now prone form, wishing she would wake up from this nightmare.

She picked him up and turned to the others.

"We need to get him to HYPNOS now!"

They didn't need convincing.

* * *

_Zero stood in the middle of a large open plain ringed by trees. The sky was clear of any clouds and a gentle breeze carried fresh scents to his nose. He took in the scenery around him for a few minutes, savouring at its purity._

_A disturbance in front of him drew his attention. He knew what it was as it approached. He waited._

_And waited._

_Soon enough Zero felt a pressence before him, and he opened his eyes to see himself. Only it wasn't him, it was his Fury Mode. The one responsible for all this._

_"And so it comes down to this." Zero stated._

_"Only one of us will emerge after today." Fury answered._

_"And it won't be you!"_

_Both of them swung for each other as soon as Zero finished. Fury had the edge in power, but Zero had more speed. They swiped and kicked each other, neither wanting to back down._

_It was then that Zero got an idea. He swung a savage uppercut into Fury's jaw and sent him flying. He wasn't going to be able to keep him down forever, so he put his plan into action._

_He focused his mind on nothing, allowed himself to empty all thoughts from his head. As he did the trees faded away, the plain became smaller. Fury saw this and laughed._

_"You think that will stop me? I'll still be here when you have a single thought to break your concentration. You will not win!"_

_Zero ignored him as the plain turned into darkness, Fury disappearing with it. He sat alone in the darkness, not thinking of anything. This way he kept Fury from taking over. Without a thought to latch on to, he couldn't manifest himself again._

_And so Zero sat._

* * *

The tamers and their digimon crowded around the screens as scientists hurried to hook Zero up to all the machines that would keep him alive. They waited for the screens to show what ever it was that he was going through.

Renamon's tears still fell as she looked on. She felt so helpless watching him. What had he done to deserve such a life?

One of the screens flicked on, displaying meaningless readouts that she didn't care for. Then another. Then the screen they were waiting for came to life.

They saw inside Zero's mind, just like when they purged the X-Antibody from him. They saw him sitting in the middle of blackness. Nothing else existed except him.

"Can he hear us from here yet?" Renamon asked through her tears.

"Just one more...there. Now he can."

Renamon turned to the screen. By unspoked consent, she spoke first.

"Zero? Can you hear me?"

Zero's ears flicked in responce, unable to break his concentration. But he failed. Just by hearing her voice, he allowed a recognition thought to enter his mind. Instantly the plain reformed and Fury reappeared.

"Ha! I told you that I would be back!"

Zero growled as he rose. He wouldn't be able to empty his mind again with Fury so close. They ran at each other again, slamming fists and feet into each other in a frenzied attempt to gain control.

Renamon saw this and guessed what was going on.

"We need to go in there again. He can't fight his fury alone."

The others caught on to what was happening and agreed. The digimon were once more hooked up and sent inside Zero's mind. They had to help him purge this, or he will be destroyed forever. Along with both the digital world and the real one.


	23. Chapter 22

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 22

Zero clashed with Fury again and again, but no matter what he did he couldn't gain an advantage. In fact he was losing slowly. The more he lost ground, the angrier he got. The angrier he got, the stronger Fury became. His own frustration was powering up his opponent with each second.

That's when he noticed the others in his mind. With one savage blow he knocked Fury away long enough to talk to then.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

"You can't fight this alone. He is getting stronger." Renamon replied.

"I can take him, get out of here!"

"Grow up Zero! You're not a child anymore!" Renamon's venomous response took them all by surprise. "Learn to take help when you need it. And right now you need a lot of it."

Zero growled in response as Fury launched himself at him again.

Rika saw that they needed all the help they can get so she and the others swiped their blue cards and digivolved their partners inside his mind.

Now with more power, the three partnered digimon joined the attack. The sounds of combat echoed across Zero's mind and jolted his own digivolution. Now in his Champion form, he gained the advantage he so desperately needed.

"Now it's time for you to leave. This is my mind, my body. You will not have it!"

"You are already mine! Fury Storm!"

"Blood Tail Barrage!"

The attacks collided and cancelled each other out. Zero should have overpowered Fury, but he could only match his strength.

"We need to combine our attacks!" Rapidmon suggested.

"Right!" came the group response.

They all charged their attacks together and unleashed them as one massive blast of energy. Fury was smothered by this display of force and could not withstand it. He sank to one knee as the dust settled.

"It'll take more than that to beat me."

"No, it won't." Zero flatly stated. He stood over Fury and looked into his eyes. He fanned his tails one last time before releasing his final attack.

"Blood Tail Barrage!"

Fury had nowhere to go. He was struck by Zero's attack, being sent flying as a result. He landed in a crumpled heap, defeated.

"And now to be rid of you forever!" Zero charged at Fury and smashed into him with full force. Fury went flying once more before obliterating himself in mid air. He was gone.

Without warning, Zero's mind began to collapse. The three tamer digimon were instantly evicted back to their bodies, scrambling back to the screen as they recovered. They made it just in time to see his mind go black.

"What's going on?" Rika asked.

"I don't know," came a reply. "It looks like Zero's data has become unstable. He has evicted his fury essence, which made up a large part of his digital code. Without it, he is destabilising."

All they could do was watch as Zero's form shimmered and distorted. One of the scientists pointed to one of the readouts.

"This is the problem. This is the code for Renamon's digivolution. See how there are five different strands? The first four are for her In-training, Rookie, Champion and Ultimate forms. And the last one is her half of her Mega level, the other half being Rika. Now, compare that to Zero's. There is only two strands here. In-training and Rookie. His body is trying to compensate for the loss of data."

Renamon looked on in shock.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that Zero can no longer digivolve past his current level. His digivolution has been locked."


	24. Chapter 23

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 23

Four weeks had passed since Zero purged his fury essence from his digital code.

Four weeks since he fell into the digimon equivalent of a coma.

Four weeks since Renamon wished for herself to wake up, for it all to be a dream.

She never left his side for very long, and even that was only in dire needs. She waited for him to wake up. She waited for him to come back to her. She missed him even though he was right next to her, he still felt so far away.

She made herself ready for any other changes that may have occurred to Zero, although the scientists assured her he would be the same as he was before. Just unable to digivolve. She would be there for him no matter what, even if he had forgotten her. He had become her world and she had already lost him once, she didn't plan on doing it again.

He had been painfully inactive over the past four weeks. Just laying where he was, the only sign of life was the warmth he gave off. The warmth Renamon cradled every night when she slept next to him, just in case he came back during the night.

So she waited. Just as she had when he died, she waited for him to return.

* * *

It was another two days that the systems monitoring Zero detected a change. His digital signal began to regain its strength with each passing hour. Renamon looked on with cautious joy. She was relieved that he was finally coming back to her, yet wary of another false alarm. Another attempt to take him away from her.

Another two days passed before his digital signal reached its natural strength, but Zero still didn't wake. But Renamon was not going to be deterred. He had made an improvement and that was enough for her to believe he was coming back to her. If even death couldn't claim him, what chance did a coma have of keeping him?

She kept those thoughts in her head for as long as she could. She would not give up on him. Not now, not ever.

Three days later, Zero's mind rebooted.

* * *

_Calm, quiet. The two things he remembered his mind not to be the last time he was here. It felt wrong. He felt wrong._

_Gone was the destruction from the battle with his fury. Gone were the friends he had made that came to help him, even if he wasn't happy about it. Gone was his mate that had snapped at him to accept help._

_He remembered the fight clearly. He remembered nearly losing to his fury, until the others joined the fight and he digivolved inside his mind. Then he remembered purging the fury from him forever. He was free. No more containing his emotions in case they took over. He could do and think as he pleased. If he got angry, that was it. He just got angry. No more Fury Mode._

_Relief flooded his mind as he realised this. He had to admit his fury gave him a lot of power, but as one of his friends had tried to tell him, power isn't important. A reason to fight was what mattered. He had a reason. He had Renamon. His mate._

_Thinking of her brought back fond memories. How she looked so ferocious yet graceful when she fought. How she slept at night, when they did sleep. How she knew exactly where and when to fold him round her fingers when she pleased._

_He smiled inside at that. He remembered fully the night they had become mates. How she claimed to not know anything about what they were doing, yet show absolute precision and expertise at the same time. Almost as if she lied about her lack of knowledge._

_He smiled again. There wasn't a single thing he could fault her for. As much as he believed perfection to be impossible, she was living proof of it. He began to wonder how he, someone so flawed and tormented by past events, could ever be worthy of her. Of how she even looked at him with anything but disgust or shallow pity. Yet her eyes showed nothing but pure adoration towards him everytime he looked into them._

_His past. A shadow on his mind that blotted out his good thoughts. Memories of his parents and his village moments before it was all ripped from him. The looks on his parents faces as they were deleted. The way he had screamed in response. He didn't know how he managed to hold onto life as everyone he ever knew was taken from him. Of how he managed to find his way out of that world, even if at the time he didn't know if it was better or not._

_If things had of been different, if he had been deleted instead of escaping..._

_Or if he had never found that digital portal, if he had ran until his legs gave out..._

_No, he had gotten away. He had gone through the portal. There was no point in thinking of other possible outcomes. He already knew that he wouldn't be here otherwise. He had been given a chance for a new life. One with new friends in a new world. One with new challenges to overcome. One with her._

_No matter how dark his past was, he wouldn't change it. As painful as losing his parents was, if they had lived he wouldn't be here. He owed the village his life, for with theirs he had a new one of his own._

_He was kind of glad he couldn't push Renamon from his mind for very long. She was his pillar in life, throwing the lifeline each time he needed it. It also told him that his feelings were true, as if he needed convincing. Just one look into her eyes told him everything he needed to know about himself._

_So why did he feel so wrong?_

_He tried to place the reason for his discomfort. The fight. He, no they had won. His fury was gone. He felt a great weight lift from him, releasing him. Then..._

_That was it. What happened next? He was aware of a span of time between the end of the fight and entering this plain again. What had happened in that time? He began to recall images, sensations. Darkness enveloping his mind as he purged himself. He had felt his body become light, too light. He felt his digital soul squirm from something. He had felt incomplete. But as soon as the feeling came, it was gone again. It bothered him, along with the time he couldn't account for._

_He now felt something else, a gentle tug back to reality. His body coaxing him back, telling him he was needed._

_With a final thought of Renamon, he left his mind and returned to his body._

* * *

Zero returned to awareness two days after his mind restarted, even though he wasn't aware of how much time had passed. He was aware that he was laying down, and had been for quite some time. This worried him. How long had he been here?

He began to sense someone else present. He knew exactly who it was by the way he felt a furry paw on his, gripping with a level of affection for it to only be Renamon. He wasn't surprised she was here. But her grip added to his worry of how much time had passed.

He eventually regained control of his body and attempted to open his eyes. Light blinded him temporarily before his sight returned. He saw Renamon sitting next to him, holding his paw in her own. Her eyes were closed, but he could make out faint lines of moisture that had ran down her cheeks not too long ago.

He caught her attention by lightly twisting his paw, just enough movement for her to open her eyes.

She was thinking about all the times they had spent together peacefully, and how there were precious few of them. She needed to change that. She just started to think of places to go and things to do, when she felt his paw move ever so slightly. She opened her eyes, thinking it was her mind playing tricks on her, and saw his own eyes gazing up at her.

They were tired eyes, with a significant amount of confusion radiating from them. She suddenly thought he had forgotten her, until he croaked out a single word.

"Renamon."

She smiled in relief and carefully embraced him, resisting the urge to smother him in case he was injured.

"I always knew you'd come back to me again."

Now he knew he had been there for a while.

"How long?"

Renamon guessed what he was trying to ask.

"Just over five weeks. You've been drifting around in a coma for five weeks, only recently did you resurface to unconsciousness. But you didn't seem to wake then either. But now you're back and that's all that matters."

Zero sighed. Five weeks. Five weeks since the purge. Five weeks older with nothing to show for it. But he still felt, weird.

"Why do I feel strange?"

Renamon's expression changed from joyful to sombre. She knew this might come up, but it made it no easier.

"There was a...side effect to your purging. You lost a lot of your digital code by doing that. And we think it took some other parts of you when it left."

"What other parts?"

Renamon hesitated, her face becoming serious and sorrowful.

"You lost the ability to digivolve higher than your current form."

Zero felt like he was hit by a brick wall. His mind and heart stopped. He couldn't digivolve. What kind of digimon was unable to digivolve? His core purpose was to do exactly that. Every digimon was the same, instinct taught them to digivolve at the earliest opportunity in order to survive. Digivolution was everything to any digimon, and he had lost it.

Once more, his name's definition came back to him. Zero.

Renamon saw his reaction as she said what she hated to say. Losing the ability to digivolve was so much worse than death. She embraced him again, trying her best to comfort him. She tried to read his expression, but he was completely blank. Almost as if the realisation of what she had said had wiped all emotion from him, or that he didn't know what to feel.

Zero's world ended. Without the ability to digivolve, how could he protect anyone? He was weak, useless.

But he still had her. No matter how bad things were she was still there. Even if he couldn't become stronger she would help him, protect him. He didn't like the idea of her putting herself second to him, but he knew he couldn't change her mind if she did. Rika had done an amazing job of keeping her alive so far, and with the ability to digivolve at any point they pleased she had a better chance of survival than he did.

Calm acceptance spread across him as he realised this. He looked up at Renamon, into those blue orbs only reserved for him, and smiled. He still had her.

"What matters is that I'm back. No more worrying. I'll deal with the digivolution thing later. Right now I just want to go home."

Renamon nodded. Grateful that he could find it in himself to, at least for now, accept his loss. She helped him up from the bed, disconnecting him from the monitoring systems as she did. As they left the room they were confronted by a team of scientists all demanding that Zero returned to the room, saying they couldn't be sure of his condition. It only took one warning growl from Renamon to disperse them.

They left HYPNOS without further incident and headed home.


	25. Chapter 24

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 24

They all noticed changes in Zero over the next few months. They were only slight differences at first, but the became more obvious as time went on.

He became distant, often going off on his own around the city. He never actively avoided any of them, and showed no signs of change when he spoke. But each time he believed no one was looking his face displayed a mixture of emotions. They would sometimes catch him standing alone on the top of a building looking out across the city. A few times Renamon had joined him, wrapping one arm around him. He would always offer her a warm look and a reassuring smile, before returning his gaze out over the city. She could tell he still loved her as much as he did before, but his vacant look bothered her.

For the first two weeks he had slept in the same fashion as before, cuddled up to her in her bed. But then he had moved to the floor, sleeping alone but still in her room. A couple of times she had joined him during the night, only to find he had moved again when she woke up. She knew he needed time to think things through, and she respected that. But it didn't make it any easier to deal with. They hadn't reaffirmed their feelings for each other since they became mates.

Then he had stopped sleeping there altogether. Where he was sleeping was a mystery to everyone, but he still came back to see each of them. They would still fight rogues who came across to their world, and the first few times Zero fought them alone. Well, he had tried to. They had come in to find him beaten and stepped in to finish his job. He was never seriously hurt, except for pride. They would check him over, then he would be off again. After a few battles he began to wait outside the digital field for them to arrive, before joining them in the fight. He would help them defeat the rogues as a team, before once again going his own way.

Then even that stopped. He would just sit at the side and watch the others fight, instead of joining in. He had a forlorn look on his muzzle each time one or more of them digivolved. He would also miss some fights entirely, not even showing up at the end.

Renamon began to wonder where he was during these fights. Each time she saw him he would hide his true emotions behind a false smile as he greeted her, but even his mask began to crack. She detected a great pain inside him, as well as a deep longing for his previous life. They had tried to extract a copy of Renamon's digivolution code to replace Zero's missing one, but his body rejected it. There was nothing they could do to help him.

Zero's mind was a battleground. No matter what he did, nothing seemed to make a difference. He felt useless. He could no longer fight with confidence in himself. Every fight he had been in alone had almost ended him. He was no match for any digimon anymore.

He appreciated the help everyone offered him, but even they could do nothing. He was lost.

He was aware of how Renamon felt about his absence from her side, but he needed to find a way to get himself back. He still felt the same way has he always had towards her, but he couldn't find it in himself to show it anymore. Every time he tried his mind reminded him of his flaw, his impurity. He actually began to regret purging his fury from himself. At least then he was whole. Now he felt broken, damaged beyond repair. As far as he was concerned, his life was over.

* * *

The tamers and their digimon were gathered in the park, relaxing for the day when Yamaki strolled up to them.

"I thought I'd find you here. I have some news from the scientists looking into Zero's issue."

They looked at him with surprise.

"Well? What is It?"Rika asked impatiently.

"You are all aware how digimon normally increase their strength aren't you?"

"We load the data of our opponents and use it to help us digivolve." Renamon replied, still confused by this.

"Exactly. So if we get Zero to absorb another digimon's data, he may be able to regain the ability to digivolve." Yamaki clicked his lighter shut as he finished.

Everyone went wide eyed at this. Why didn't they think of this earlier? It was Renamon who reminded them.

"No. Zero will never agree to it. He has stated several times since he came back after dying that he will not delete and load digimon for his own benefit. He would rather die."

"What choice does he have Renamon? You can see what it's doing to him. Do you want this to carry on?" Rika interjected.

She knew she didn't. But she couldn't find a way to convince Zero that it needed to be done.

Yamaki left them to discuss the point amongst themselves. He had other work to do.

* * *

Later that night, Zero stood on a roof next to Rika's house, watching the occupants fall asleep. He had decided to break one of his habits and indulge himself this once.

Once he was sure they were all asleep, he dropped down to Renamon's door and phased through it. He saw her laying in her bed, unconsciously leaving space for another next to her. A space he took for himself.

She startled slightly as he climbed in next to her, but didn't stop him. She welcomed it in fact, having missed him for so long. She thought about telling him what they had learnt earlier, but decided to wait in case it ruined the moment. He felt his arm encircle her body as he pressed up against her.

Zero moved his head to the side of her neck, and in one smooth movement snaked his tongue over her mark.

She shuddered from the contact, not expecting him to be so intimate. She felt the changes instantly, just before his touch found her new additions.

Not wanting to be out done, she rolled over in his arms and ran her own tongue across his mark.

Now fully equipped for the night, Zero wasted no time in throwing her onto her back and pinning her into place. He looked into her lust filled eyes as a primal grin formed on his muzzle.

She saw the look on his face and shuddered again. She never knew he could be so dominant. She wasn't used to being controlled, but in this case she felt she might actually enjoy it. She braced herself for what she knew was coming next.

The rest of the night was a mind blur for the both of them. They both recalled intense feelings of lust and pleasure, amongst other things. And they both recalled Renamon howling for most of the night.

* * *

Renamon awoke first, both surprised and glad that Zero was still with her. She watched his sleeping form as she gently ran her paws across his chest fur, deep inside his mane. She admired the smoothness of his fur and the definition that laid beneath. Her eyes roamed his form, taking in the sight of him as she allowed herself to drink in his scent. He always smelt so intense after they mated, as if he exposed his digital core to her. She imagined it was the same for her too.

So engrossed in her thoughts she didn't realise he had woken up from her roaming paws.

"Last night not enough for you?"

She startled slightly before smiling back at him.

"Not really, but you wouldn't last long enough to satisfy my hunger."

She had that look again, the one that said 'you know I'm right.' He shot her a 'wanna bet?' look in response.

"Oh, I'm sure I could surprise you on that."

"I would love to see you try."

So he did.

* * *

It was mid day before they emerged from her room. A very smug looking Zero followed by an exhausted Renamon, looking very defeated.

"Next time you'll learn not to challenge me."

She had to admit he had more stamina than her, quite a bit more actually. She could barely walk, how he was able to look so energetic was beyond her. She couldn't even correct her fur, he had to do it for her. Something else he seemed to take amusement in as he did his own.

"Seems most of the day is gone. The others are probably wondering where we are. That is if they didn't hear you howling."

"Shut up! How can you be so full of energy after that?"

"Quite easily. I haven't been doing much lately and had a surplus. It's not my fault you challenged my stamina."

"Hmph. At least help me get to the others."

Zero smirked as he offered himself as support for her. She leant heavily on him as they made their way to the park. She didn't really need support, she just wanted the contact.

They met the others in the usual place in the park. They shot the two digimon confused looks, as if to inquire why Renamon wasn't walking on her own strength. Zero sensed this and added an amused look to his still smug grin.

"Don't worry. She is fine. She just challenged my endurance."

They didn't need any more information to guess what he meant. Rika rolled her eyes before they continued their quiet discussion.

Zero ignored them as he and Renamon sat down slightly away from the others. He may have had more stamina, but his hearing was super sensitive after last night. The last thing he needed was Terriermon mouthing off down his ears.

Renamon decided now was the best time to discuss their idea with him.

"Zero?"

"What is it Renamon?"

"You're probably not going to like this, but Yamaki came to see us yesterday with an idea on how to re-unlock your digivolution."

Zero went wide eyes, his smugness turning into hope.

"Why would I not like that?"

Renamon averted her gaze momentarily before responding.

"Because it involves you doing the one thing you vowed not to do. You have to load other digimon."

Zero's hope vanished to be replaced with frustration and anger. This was the reaction Renamon expected.

"Like I said, you're not going to like it. But I don't see any other way."

Zero's voice was cold when he answered her.

"Is this guaranteed to work?"

"No, there is a chance-"

"You expect me to break my vow and load who knows how many digimon for an idea that might not even work? What happens if it fails? I get stuck with the data of digimon that didn't need to die. I get swamped with the guilt and grief of those I have take once again. I couldn't stand it the last time Renamon, how can I do it again?"

Zero was practically shouting as he finished. She could feel the anger pulsing off him. She knew he would be angry, but she didn't expect this much of it.

"I know Zero. It's a chance that might not work, but it's all we have. I can see what this is doing to you and it hurts me. Would you really abandon this chance so readily? Please Zero. If not for yourself, try it for me."

Zero was silent for a good few minutes. His face was unreadable. Renamon glanced back to the others and could tell they had heard enough of their conversation to know what was said. She returned her gaze to him and waited for a response.

He thought on what she said. He couldn't deny it was his only chance at the moment, he couldn't bring himself to accept it. The risk of it failing was too great. He couldn't go through all that again.

But it was the only option he had to get his digivolution back. As much as he couldn't go through the grief of loading digimon, he also couldn't go through the rest of his life without being able to digivolve. He had lost his purpose when he lost his digivolution, he had to try to get it back. Even if it meant the risk he now faced. He sighed.

"I suppose you are right. No matter how I look at it, I have no other options. But I will not just load any digimon. Only those that I feel are necessary."

"That's more than I could ask for. Thankyou Zero."

He didn't respond. He set his gaze elsewhere, thinking of the pain and torment that awaited him from this decision as Renamon leant against him.


	26. Chapter 25

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 25

Zero was stubborn. They had encountered five rogue digimon since Yamaki had offered his idea, and Zero had absorbed precisely none of them. No matter how much they argued with him, he would not absorb any data of digimon he didn't consider deserving enough. He kept saying that most digimon don't come here by choice, even thought they are violent when they do come. They had yet to find a digimon that came here on purpose to destroy the real world. Until they did, Zero would do nothing.

Renamon tried to reason with him but had no luck. If she couldn't persuade him, no one could. But she was thankful for one thing. He never kept himself alone anymore. He never went off to stand thoughtful on a random building somewhere. And he no longer kept himself locked up inside. He joined the others everytime they got together and never left until they parted ways for the day. He also rejoined Renamon at night, sometimes they even slept. Rika, whilst glad that he was keeping himself around them, became increasingly annoyed by the noise those two made on most nights. She couldn't help but notice that it was Renamon that made most of it, a fact that Zero was very smug about.

It was after the deletion, and lack of absorption, of the sixth digimon to bioemerge that the tamers lost their patience.

"Are you trying to be awkward Zero?" Henry asked, clearly annoyed.

Zero stared at him, causing Henry to shift uneasily under his piercing gaze.

"What gave you that idea?"

"Well," Rika intercepted. "This is the sixth digimon to come through recently, and you have once again made a point of not absorbing it. You haven't even fought any of them either. We're starting to think you don't want to digivolve again."

Zero's gaze shifted to her, yielding the same reaction. He began to like his stare.

"I have my reasons, ones you know all too well."

Then it was Takato's turn.

"We know you don't like this idea, and that you would rather not do it, but this is getting us nowhere. If you don't start absorbing data you'll never be able to digivolve. At least this way there is a chance. Doesn't it bother you?"

Again Zero shifted his gaze, and again he got the same reaction. He really loved his stare. Renamon caught on to what he was doing and slapped the back of his head.

He shot her an aggressive glance before addressing Takato.

"Of course it bothers me. But for the time being I don't see much use of digivolving. As much as I want to protect this world, I don't want to become the very type of digimon we are fighting."

"I explained this to you before Zero." Renamon stated. "You are not one of them. You have a kind heart. A thick head, but a kind heart." Zero glared again at this. "Absorbing digimon when you need to doesn't make you one of them. Power crazed digimon absorb what they can just because they want to. You have a need to do it, not a want. You are, and always will be different as a result."

Zero became thoughtful again, something he wasn't used to in such frequency. He knew she was right, she was always right. But he still couldn't bring himself to do what needed to be done. They were asking him to scavenge data from digimon they defeated. He could not do that, it would make him worse than the ones they fought. He had to defeat them himself, it wouldn't make absorbing them any easier but at least he would be the one to defeat them.

Without another word he bolted away to a nearby roof, leaving behind three confused and annoyed tamers and three equally affected digimon.

* * *

Zero moved from rooftop to rooftop, not really going anywhere. Just roaming around looking for answers in his head. He found he thought better while he moved, using the rhythmic effort of building jumping to clear his head. He could sense Renamon behind him, following him but not attempting to catch him. She obviously forgot his sensing range was larger than hers, even if it was less refined.

He had been roaming for just over an hour when he felt the long awaited surge of energy. He stopped and pinpointed its location as a blue beam shot towards the sky.

'Showtime.'

Zero entered the digital field that had formed close by, bracing himself for what was to come. He didn't mind the fighting, it was what was going to come after that he wasn't happy about. He sensed the rogue as it came through and immediately slipped into his fighting stance. It was then that he became aware of what this digimon was.

It looked like another regular Agumon. Same shape and size, but the wrong colour. It was black. Then there was the overwhelming sense of darkness around it. Zero smirked. This rogue was a dark digimon, he had no issues with deleting and loading these. He dropped his doubts and fears and went on the offensive.

"Blood Storm!"

The dark Agumon narrowly avoided instant deletion, much to Zero's annoyance, and swung at him as he ran past.

"Pepper Breath!"

Zero heard the shout from behind him moments before he was struck by the fireball, scorching his back as he felt his fur burn away. He yelped loudly in pain, why was he taking such s beating from one Rookie?

He spun around after recovering his balance and faced the rogue again. He could feel small particles of data escaping from his injured back, but he paid no attention to his status. This rogue was going down one way or another.

He cursed himself for being so weak. Before he could bring down Champion level dark digimon without receiving a scratch. Now even a regular rookie was too much for him, let alone a dark one. He also cursed at losing his rapid regeneration he had before, something else that was taken when he purged his fury. He snarled in rage and charged the dark digimon again.

"Blood Paw!"

The rogue again dodged to the side to avoid Zero's attack, but Zero knew he would do this and dodged in the same direction. His fists connected fully with the dark Agumon, propelling back and into a tree. He saw the rogues outline shift slightly, showing signs or destabilising. He charged again before it could stand, his Blood Paw still active.

The rogue saw his impending destruction and did the only thing it knew.

"Pepper Breath!"

At this range Zero had no chance of dodging, especially as his fists was charged with his attack and was inches from the Agumon's head. He struck the dark digimon in the forehead just after it released it's attack, destroying the rogue but sending himself back as his chest burned with searing agony.

Now it was his turn to hit a tree, rolling to a stop as he fell to the ground. He saw the dark digimon's data float away and could do nothing to absorb it from where he was. He simply watched it dissipate as he felt his strength fade. All that for nothing. So determined to take responsibility for the data he absorbed he threw himself recklessly into a fight he couldn't walk away from. Never before had he felt so foolish. Once more his pride had taken priority, even though he had believed it was a killer. A fact he pointed out in his first spar with Renamon.

And here he was, on death row once again. He felt he should have learnt from at least one of the times before this that his choices weren't always right. Some lessons, it seemed, were never learnt.

He senses the approach of the tamers and their digimon as the digital field faded away with the rogues data, but he didn't care. He felt his weight lessen at a rapid pace, he saw his body glow. He was sure the others could also see it, and from the sounds he could barely make out they seemed to think he was digivolving. How wrong they were.

Zero's form shimmered before shrinking to a fraction of his former size. As the light faded a Blood Viximon laid in place of his Rookie form. Only then did the others realise what was going on and rushed to his side. His eyes opened weakly before he managed to speak in his unusually high pitched voice.

"Call me that word and I will kill you."

Terriermon paled slightly, resisting the urge while Renamon spoke for all of them.

"We wouldn't dream of it."

"Good," was all could Zero say before he passed out.


	27. Chapter 26

**A/N: Howdy all, first thing's first. I'm changing my upload policy from 'post a segment that has a decent stopping point' to 'post 1 chapter a week' simply to keep this story active, rather than let it sit idle for weeks on end while I write up to a decent point to post.**

**Also I would like to inform my readers (if I have any) that I have tried to fix a few issues with the previous chapters, mainly spelling mistakes and word corrections so it should make more sense now. I also seemed to duplicate Ch 6 in the place of Ch20 so I fixed that aswell. So sorry for any issues I caused with that it wasn't intentional.**

**And please if I have any readers, review. I can't stress this enough. I need to know how I am doing and if this story is well recieved or not. I have a possible idea for a sequel once this story has run its course, but if no one likes this one I will not do another. So review and let me know where I am going right or wrong so I can improve if need be and plan ahead for the sequel if it is wanted.**

**Anyway, on with the next chapter...**

* * *

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 26

_'Bloody white rooms. Bloody white coats. Bloody beeping machines. Bloody stupid me.'_

These were Zero's thoughts as he awoke once again inside HYPNOS. He was getting tired of being here, with the scientists pouring over him like he was an experiment. He made to swipe them away with his paw, when he remembered he no longer had arms. He had de-digivolved back to his In-training form after the fight he barely won.

_'Bloody stupid me. Bloody stupid dark digimon. Bloody stupid pride.'_

He berated himself for another hour until the scientists finally left him alone. Sadly, this meant he just vocalised his thoughts.

"Bloody stupid world. Bloody stupid life. Damn this all! All your bloody stupid consequences. Bloody stupid son of a-"

"Zero?"

Renamon's voice cut off his outburst. He hadn't sensed her approach and startled at her sudden appearance. He turned himself away from her before he spoke.

"What."

It was a flat word, not even a question. She could sense the hurt inside him as he said it. She went to hold his paw reassuringly when she realised he didn't have his arms anymore. She'd forgot he had de-digivolved.

"Why didn't you wait for us? We could have helped you."

"I didn't want your help. I got myself into this mess and I should be the one to get myself out of it."

"There you go with your lone hero act again. Don't you remember what happened the last time you did this?"

Zero's small form stiffened. He remembered all to clearly. Renamon saw this and took it for a yes.

"And now your stuck in this form. You don't have anywhere near enough data to digivolve back to Rookie level. The only thing you can do is shut up, forget your lone hero crap and listen to what we say." Renamon drove the last three points home with a firm prod into Zero's side, causing him to squirm slightly.

"Get off of me!"

"What did I just say about listening to me? You're in no position to start choosing what happens now, and that includes what we do to help you. Either you start accepting our help, or you will die."

The way she said it wasn't a threat, but rather a fact that they both knew. He had no other choice now.

He sighed.

"And once again I'm faced with no other alternatives."

"Finally you understand. Do I have your word that you won't try anymore of your crap?"

He sighed again. "Yes, you have my word." There was no turning back now.

They left the room after a few more minutes while they made sure he was fit to go. He insisted on walking, even though he was much slower than Renamon. She had made several attempts to pick him up, but she was met with a rather intimidating growl from someone so small. So she made herself walk painfully slow as he made his way out of HYPNOS.

They eventually found themselves outside with the others, who smirked slightly at Renamon's annoyed face. Terriermon couldn't resist one last jab at Zero's expense.

"Aww, look at his little cute legs go!"

Zero's warning growl went unheeded as the others smirked further, actually breaking into grins. Only Henry had the sense to hide his amusement.

"You'll only make him mad again Terriermon."

"So? He's still cute like that."

Now Zero was angry. Not only was he stuck like this after his misjudgment in his last fight, but they were calling him the one word he despised above all. His last thread of patience finally snapped.

"Blood Shard!"

No one expected Zero to attack so quickly, and as a result his attack struck Terriermon dead in his forehead sending him somersaulting off of Henry's shoulder. He hit the ground hard as Zero closed in rapidly. Before Terriermon could even stand up, Zero was upon him. He bit down hard on an offending ear and clamped on as he spun himself around. As he built up enough momentum he released his jaws and sent Terriermon towards a tree, only to be caught by Renamon before he sustained any further injuries.

"Calm down! Get a hold of yourself!" Renamon ordered.

Zero's only reaction was to growl loudly in annoyance of having his vengeance stolen from him.

"I said calm down! What did I say about listening to me?" Renamon repeated, adding more force to her words.

Another growl was her answer as the others recovered from their shock at his outburst.

"Zero! Back off! Calm down before I have to restrain you!" Renamon was practically shouting now, causing the others listening to flinch at her tone. Zero still just growled again, unaffected by her outburst. He dashed at Terriermon again, despite Renamon still holding him out of his reach. She saw his approach and halted his advance by bringing a foot down on his back, pinning him down.

"Zero, this is your last warning. If you do not stop this, you will leave me no choice."

Zero simply growled yet again as he tried to free himself to get to his target. He was not going to let him get away with calling him that word.

"Zero! Will you-"

Renamon was interrupted by a bioemergence not two buildings away from them. Instantly reverting to battle tactics she passed Terriermon to Henry and picked Zero up before he could protest. With him now restrained, they raced towards the appearing digital field.

Zero struggled to escape as they made their way to the appearing rogue, only stopping when he sensed it come through. Instantly his priorities shifted to this new digimon, forgetting his dispute with Terriermon. Before he could even sight his new prey, he was unceremoniously thrown to the side by Renamon with a sincere glare silently warning him to stay put. He growled again, but simply waited for his chance at vengeance.

"Ready Renamon?" Rika asked her partner.

"As always." Renamon replied.

With the others already beginning the attack, Renamon jumped into action.

"Diamond Storm!"

As soon as she announced her attack, Guilmon and a recovered Terriermon added their own firepower.

"Pyro Sphere!"

"Terrier Tornado!"

Zero watched the engagement with a clear lack of interest, uncaring of how his 'friends' were doing. He could here the attacks being launched across the field, he could hear the pained cries from all the digimon friend and foe, he could hear the digivolution processes his 'friends' were going through. Yet he didn't care. He was useless as he was. He hated being powerless as much as he hated being called 'cute' in this form. After everything he has been through, 'cute' really didn't fit his description.

He quickly grew angry again, yet his rage was directed at himself. It was his fault he was in this position now, his poor judgment had lead to his undoing. Here he was, obviously more powerful than the others, forced into his lowest and weakest form due to his own mistakes. His rage boiled over inside him and he let forth a cry of pure fury at his own expense. No one seemed to hear his cry, yet he felt a power inside him. A power he thought he had lost. A power that filled his body once again as new strength and speed erupted inside him. That same sphere of data that he thought he would never see again engulfed him. And that same feeling of his body changing surged through him. In just a few seconds he was back in his Rookie form, no longer so useless, no longer so weak. Now was his time. Now was his moment. It didn't matter if the others had to digivolve to fight. He would take this moment given to him, and he would use it to its fullest.

Zero dived into the fight, barely noticing the fallen forms of his friends as their tamers frantically tried to get them back into the fight. He sighted his target, a rogue he had seen before. Another Tyrannomon. He had fought one of these before during his time alone before he died. He knew its strengths and weaknesses from that fight, and he knew exactly how to beat this one.

"Blood Storm!"

At the sound of his attack, the tamers snapped their heads in his direction. After the initial shock of seeing that he had digivolved they tried to call him back.

"Zero, that digimon is too powerful! It's borderline Ultimate level!"

He ignored them and continued to rain his attacks down on it. He knew what he was doing. After three more attacks he saw what he was waiting for. Tyrannomon grew frustrated of his attacks and decided to return fire.

"Fire Blast!"

Zero easily dodged the fire attack and took the opening he was waiting for.

"Blood Paw!"

He struck the rogue in the left side of its head and sent it into the floor. With its underside now exposed he pressed his advantage.

"Blood Storm!"

Red crystals showered onto Tyrannomon's unprotected underside causing it to howl in pain before it disintegrated into data. Zero landed next to the former digimon's form and soaked up the data. The tamers were right, this digimon was close to Ultimate level. But that just meant more data for him.

Zero felt his body fill with data, removing all traces of tiredness or injury from him and filling him with new strength. He could feel more data loading into him even though his body was almost full, straining to contain it all. He absorbed every bit straight into his body, not caring about isolating it for later. There was enough here to sustain his next level for a while, if he had one. If he was to force his next digivolution, this was how to do it.

Sure enough his body became saturated with data, yet more flooded in. He could feel the immense power inside him. Renamon seemed to sense what was happening and called out to him, concern etched into her normally blank expression. He couldn't hear her even if he wanted to, the absorption blocked his hearing. Then came that feeling, the one he had hoped to feel. Relief course through him as a bright sphere of data surrounded him.

"Blood Renamon..."

"What's going on? Is he digivolving or...?" Rika asked, unsure of what she was seeing.

"I don't know Rika," Renamon replied. "We were never sure if this would work, and I'm not sure what we are seeing here."

They could do nothing except watch. Could he digivolve without a Champion form?

"Digivolve to..."

The tamers expressions changed to hope and shock.

"It actually worked! He's digivolving!" Takato could barely contain his excitement.

"Yes, but into what?" Terriermon stated, showing a sudden sign of intelligence.

All they could do was wait.


	28. Chapter 27

**A/N: Me again with another chapter for you all. Starting today, there will be roughly one week between updates until this story is completed. Hopefully I will be able to keep to this timeline and keep whoever is reading this (if anyone) supplied with regular content and closing off any open ended cliffhangers without too much time in between.**

**Without further delay, I present chapter 27**

* * *

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 27

"Blood Renamon... Digivolve to..."

These words echoed across inside the heads of all those present, their eyes glued to the data sphere surrounding Zero's current location.

Inside the sphere Zero's fur began to flake off, revealing the digital matrix beneath. His shape began to shift into a four legged form with powerful hind legs. The tamers began to identify what looked to be a Blood Kyuubimon, since that was his Champion form before. But then they saw differences. There was no scarf around his neck. His mane seemed more aggressive yet shorter in length. His paws seemed more defined with longer claws. But the most obvious difference were the tails. Instead of nine there was only three, but they were both longer and thicker.

Zero's fur began to reform on his new body, the same black all over with silver on his underside and tips of his ears, tails and legs. His mane became silver as well, but his claws took a vibrant crimson colour along with his fangs. Slowly his new form was constructed and the data sphere exploded outwards announcing his completion.

"...Blood Fenrimon!"

The timers and their digimon looked on with awe and confusion as Zero strode towards them. Only then did they see the scale of his new form. He stood at least twice the height of Renamon's Champion form and radiated strength with every step. But it was Takato that voiced their confusion.

"Um, I thought your Champion form was Blood Kyuubimon?"

Zero gave him a confused look.

"Surprise? I don't pick my forms, but I think I know why this is different. As I lost my digivolution code that contained my other forms, a new Champion form was needed to replace the one I lost. Looks like I'm rewriting my race's code as I go from this point onwards."

"Hang on." Rika interjected. "How did you even digivolve to your Rookie level without absorbing data?"

"Ah, that I also don't know. One minute I was Blood Viximon getting angry at being helpless, the next I was Blood Renamon. It just happened." Zero sounded more confused than anyone else at this. Yes he was glad to be able to digivolve, but it would have been nice for him to know how he did it.

"All this is making my head hurt. Maybe we're reading too much into it. Let's just accept the fact that Zero can digivolve to Champion and worry about the rest when we know more." stated a head clutching Henry.

They all agreed and decided to head home since it was starting to get dark. However, Zero gained an idea.

"Hey Rika! Renamon! Fancy a lift?"

They both looked at him like he had grown a second head.

"Why? We are perfectly capable of walking. And how do you expect us to get up there? No offence but you are huge!" Rika stated.

Zero's response was to crouch down and stick one of his forelegs out as a makeshift step. Renamon took this as an invitation and deftly scaled up to his back, settling down just behind his neck. Rika followed in a more cautious fashion, not having the keen balance of her partner. She settled down in front of Renamon, her partner securing her arms round her to hold her in place.

"You two ready?" Zero asked as he rose to his feet. Rika became slightly dizzy from the height, but soon got used to it. Renamon just seemed to be enjoying herself even thought they weren't actually moving yet. Rika noticed this and rolled her eyes.

"You're just happy you get to 'ride' him again, huh!"

Renamon flushed a deep red from her tamer's comment but couldn't help admire her sudden humour. Zero heard the comment but let it slide, he will return to it later. He took the silence that followed to be a 'carry on' sign and turned in the direction of Rika's house.

Coiling his powerful hind legs, he sank into a crouch. Rika and Renamon could feel the strength in his body as he prepared to jump, Renamon tightening her grip on the two so they weren't thrown off. Zero exhaled deeply as he released his rear legs, sending them all upwards and forwards into the air. He landed lightly on the roof of the building he aimed for, before breaking into a rapid dash across the roof line.

Even Renamon had to marvel at his new speed, not even she was this fast with a Hyper Speed card. Zero showed no signs of fatigue as he raced home, never once slowing his break neck pace. They reached home in record time, landing in Rika's front garden as Zero crouched again to let his passengers off. It was then that he realised the issue of his immense size. Where was he going to sleep now he was this large?

"I wonder..." Zero trailed off just as he started. The other two looked at him confused.

"Wonder what?" Renamon asked.

Zero didn't answer, but he began to glow suddenly. Before either of them could ask what was happening he shrank into his Rookie form, flexing himself as he stopped glowing.

"Well well, it worked after all." Zero saw the confused faces of his living companions. "It seems I can separate the data I absorbed from by code, making me de-digivolve at my will. Similar to the way I can isolate data within me and absorb it when I feel the need to. This was I have a sliver of control over what form I take."

"Sometimes, you are too smart for your own good!" Rika stand, rolling her eyes again.

Zero gave her a smug grin before bounding off to his sleeping area. Renamon followed shortly after, mimicking her tamer with the eye rolling.

"You better keep it down tonight! I actually need to sleep!" Rika shouted, causing Renamon to flush a deep red again.

She entered her room to find Zero already in bed. A devious smirk graced her muzzle as she settled next to him, her paws already beginning her plan.

"Not tonight Renamon. We both need the rest." She could practically feel the restrain in his voice.

"I thought you were going to listen to me more?"

"I am, but we are both tired and you know it. And I don't need to remind you what happened last time to forced this do I?"

Renamon paled slightly. She remembered well enough, not being able to walk properly for a day wasn't something you forget in a hurry.

"Fine, but next time..." She left the question open as she settled down with him.

"Yes, next time you won't be able to walk for a week!" Zero smugly stated, causing Renamon to shiver against him.

They both fell into a deep sleep, undisturbed by dreams. Well except for one nagging thought in Zero's mind just before he drifted off.

_'Hang on. What are Dark digimon doing coming to this world? Better yet, how are they coming here?'_


	29. Chapter 28

**A/N: Here we are again with this week's chapter.**

**Please, to those who are reading this I desperately need reviews. Otherwise I can't tell if I am doing right or wrong, and quite frankly if I don't get any more reviews I will cancel this story. No reviews could easily mean no readers, no readers means no point in writing. So if there are any readers and you do want me to continue this, leave a review please. I'm almost begging here...**

**Anyway, here's this week's chapter...**

* * *

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 28

Zero awoke feeling heavier than usual, his breathing felt slightly restricted as well. He couldn't move himself or feel much of his body. He wearily opened his eyes to the sight of his immobility.

Renamon was laying directly on top of him, surprisingly heavy at the moment. Usually she is quite light, often shown in her combat movements deftly leaping around as if she weighed nothing. Now she felt like a lead block laying on his body, smothering him and depriving him of oxygen. He struggled to remove her from himself and after a few minutes succeeded in rolling her off to the side. Unfortunately, he underestimated just how much force he needed to roll her away, and how much space remained on the bed in the direction he rolled her in.

A rather loud thump was heard to Zero's side as Renamon's sleeping body met the floor after a speedy descent. Shortly after, Zero heard groaning and a few muffled curses. He decided through best thing for him to do was to fall back asleep before she fully woke up.

Renamon's sleep was abruptly halted as she felt a heavy impact to her body, or rather her body heavily impacting with something hard. She opened her eyes to be greeted with the floor. She glared up at the bed but didn't see Zero. She slowly rose, wincing at the ache in her body from hitting the floor, and observed him as he slept.

He looked peaceful, sleeping soundly, oblivious to through fact she had fallen off the bed. She imagined her impact must have made a considerable amount of noise, but he appeared to have slept through it. Or so the casual observer would see. Renamon however could tell he was awake, the slight smirk on his muzzle betraying his amusement.

"Very funny, fox face!"

It took a lot of his self control not to burst into laughter at she spoke. He could practically feel her resentment of falling off the bed. He may have gotten away with it if she didn't punch him in his shoulder, breaking his concentration and bringing him awake again.

"Uh. Hmmm, Renamon? What are you doing out of bed already?"

He put on his best sleepy voice and hid his earlier smirk. Renamon wasn't buying it though.

"Why don't you tell me? After all, you pushed me out."

"Mmm? No, I don't believe I did, seeing as I was asleep. It's not my fault if you slept on the edge."

"You know full well where I was sleeping, I have never fallen out before now. And that smug look on your face means you have something to do with it."

"I think your getting delusional. I was asleep, you fell out. That's all there is to it. I'm even doing you a favour by not laughing at your expense. If I had pushed you out, wouldn't I be amused?"

As much as she wanted to blame him, she couldn't help but admit he was right. With a sigh she settled back down next to him and pulled herself closer.

"Fine, but if it happens again I'm blaming you anyway."

Zero gave her a look. "You're the one who punched me for no reason."

His lips were suddenly met with hers, surprising him pleasantly.

"Is that a good apology for you?" Renamon asked as she broke away.

"I suppose it will have to do." Zero responded with a slight smirk. Renamon gave a mock angry glare before embracing him again. They remained like that for a few minutes until Zero's thoughts returned to that which he had last night.

_'Dark digimon. Why here? Why now? And, more importantly, why did I only now think it was strange that one came across. I suppose it's not all bad, I did delete that little shit. It's the least I could have done after what he did to me.'_

He turned to Renamon and voiced his thoughts on the dark digimon's presence. Her reaction was just to stare at him blankly until she processed what he had said.

"Dark digimon, those who have fallen from the Sovereign's grace and have become corrupted with greed, coming through to this world. I'll admit it's a worrying concept, but I don't know what we can do to stop them. All we can do is delete them if they come over. That one you fought may have just been a fluke."

Zero laid back as Renamon finished voicing her opinion. It made sense for it to have been a fluke, but it didn't sit right with him. There seemed to be deeper reason to it, something he wasn't seeing.

"Zero?"

Renamon's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked over to her to gaze into her sapphire eyes.

"Yes, Renamon?"

"Back when you were in a coma, I was thinking about things. Me and you, us in general. And I realised something."

Zero paled slightly. He had heard of this sort of thing before, when things don't quite work out. Her face bore no expression and her voice seemed neutral, all the more reasons to worry about her next words. Was she really going to give up on them? His world ground to a halt as he realised this. She was going to end it. There was no other explanation for the way she said those words. His heart sank before shattering, this was the end of him.

He got out of bed in one movement, slightly shaking as he fought with his inner emotions.

"You don't need to continue that. I know where this is going."

Renamon became confused, unseen by Zero as he was facing away from her, unable to look her in the face now.

"What are you talking about Zero? All I was going to saw was-"

"It doesn't matter. I already know." He cut her off, not wanting to hear her say the words he dreaded. "I'm not going to change your mind, it's your decision to make and I accept that. So with that said," Zero choked slightly, forcing the words from his mouth, "goodbye Renamon."

With those final two words said, he phased out through the door and ran.

* * *

Zero ran across the rooftops in a vain attempt to clear his mind, but he kept thinking of everything he had just lost. She was everything to him. She was the one thing he cherished in his miserable life, and now it was gone. He really did have nothing now. No family, no home, no life. Once more he was Zero. It was all too much, he couldn't stand it.

Tears poured down his face as he ran, the wind drying his face even as they wetted it. His fur was ruffled from sleeping, the wind pulling it around as he ran, yet he didn't care. His appearance was hardly top priority at the moment. His tail whipped around as he sped along, never once looking back for fear that he might stop.

His eyes gazed wildly, his sight blurred from his tears, as he searched for something. He didn't know what he was looking for, but he found it in the shape of HYPNOS's towers. The place this all started. The place they came clean with their feelings shortly before they became mates. That was where he was heading, but why he didn't know.

He teleported himself onto that same tower again, barely registering the irony of him being here again to solve a problem he had with her. He looked out across the city in the morning light, slightly marvelling at the sight of the sun rising. Clarity entered his mind as he watched the sun climb out of the horizon. Every day the sun did this, only to sink below it again at the end of the day. Yet it carried on. It always rose each morning, even though it knew it would fall again in the evening.

He took the sight in, consciously aware this was the last time he would see it. He couldn't live like this. Not without her. Even if he wanted to, the pain was simply too much. Even now he was being torn apart by it. Head never felt so alone.

He stepped onto the edge of the building as he held the sunrise in his vision. Just one more step and he would be free from the pain. One more step to be reunited with his parents. One more step...

He lifted his right foot and brought it out in front of him. All he needed to do was push his weight forwards, just a little, and allow gravity to claim him. He would belong to it as the last thing that owned him before his release. All he needed to do, was let go.

"Zero!"

Renamon's voice sounded behind him, but he pinned it on his mind playing one last desperate ploy to keep him. He knew he couldn't live this life anymore, not after this morning. He focused on his last step, exhaling his last breath on this tower. He cleared his mind to stop any further interruptions and shut out his senses, focusing on the peace the silence brought. Slowly he transmitted his weight forwards, onto his leg in the air. Slowly he began to pitch forwards. Calm acceptance flooded through him, this was the right thing to do. Slowly he went forwards, into the void that was the air between him and the ground. Soon he would be there, walking with his parents once more.

A hand grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back, breaking his calm composure. Such was the sudden, unexpected motion he slammed down onto the roof on his back. Quickly regaining himself he bolted upright, the minor ache in his back forgotten as he attempted to find the reason for his drastic change of direction.

Standing in front of him was Renamon, looking slightly pissed off by the looks of it.

"What the _hell_ do you think your doing?" Yeah, she's pissed.

Zero just stood there. She was the last one he would have thought to ever see again. He was relieved, yet hurt. Was she here to amplify his hurt she previously inflicted to him? Rub the proverbial salt into his wounds so to speak? He didn't take her for the petty type, but he had been wrong about her before. Was it because he beat her to what she was going to say earlier, and she was here to seek one last chance to inflict one last scar on to him before he continued where he left off? Or was it worse than that? Was she here to simply stop him releasing himself of his hurt so he could suffer for longer? To make him live his miserable life for as long as it pleased her?

He didn't get much of a chance to decide which of these was the most likely.

"Aren't you going to answer me?"

Zero didn't respond. He didn't want to give her the satisfaction of hearing just now broken she had made him. His resolve was in pieces, and he imagined his voice was no better.

"Well? Or would you like me to answer for you?"

He still gave no reaction to her words.

"So that's how it is then, huh? You were going to throw yourself off this tower with no regard for those you would be leaving behind. You don't even know what I was going to say! You just assumed you knew and took action based on your own poor judgment. Do you not care what I think, what I feel?"

He could see her eyes glistening as she spoke. Was she crying? No, that was a trick in his eyes. She couldn't possibly be upset after all this. He watched as her tears began to roll down her face, no mere trick. She _was_ crying. But why?

"Do you really think after all we have been through, that I would just leave? Did you forget my vows I made to you? Did you forget _this_?" She pointed to her mark. "_This_ symbolises _us_. Me _and_ you. You gave me mine just as willingly as I gave you yours. I was hoping you knew that I would never leave you, I've stuck by you through situations that most others would run at. You are my life Zero, I could never do without you."

Zero's mind processed each word with painful scrutiny before he formulated a response.

"Why? Why do you want to end us?"

Renamon looked at him with a confused look through her tears.

"I never wanted to end us. You just assumed that."

Now it was Zero's turn to be confused.

"Then, what were you going to say?"

"I was trying to say that we hadn't spend much time together outside of fighting of dealing with other issues. I was going to ask if you wanted to spend some time away from all that, just us two. Then you go ahead and assume I'm leaving you and try to jump off this bloody tower!"

Zero flopped onto the roof as the weight of his realisation struck him full on. He realised just how close he had come to never seeing her again. He had completely misjudged what she was going to say, and almost ending himself for reasons that didn't exist.

"Renamon... We... I didn't..." He couldn't even form a coherent sentence anymore. The pain he felt now dwarfed his earlier hurt. He had almost lost everything and had only himself to blame. He broke down again, unable to control himself any longer.

Renamon dropped to his side and wrapped herself around him, her tears joining his on the roof. They both stayed like that for a good half an hour as they vented their own versions of emotions. Renamon's hurt of almost losing the one she loved, again. Zero's pain of almost giving up on everything based on a wild assumption.

It was Renamon who spoke first after they calmed down.

"You really are a stupid fox, you know that right?"

Zero grinned weakly.

"I had a good teacher."

This caused Renamon to smile slightly as she embraced him again.

"I think I'll take you up on that offer though, it would be nice to get away from things for a while." Zero concluded.

Renamon nodded in approval. "How about we go back home. I'm starting to dislike this roof. Too many memories of falling."

Zero nodded as well before they both began to make their way home.


	30. Chapter 29

**A/N: Slightly early with this one, but I seemed to have gone on a writing spree and finished a lot more chapters than I thought I could do in a week, so from now until I complete the chapters my end, I will be uploading a new chapter Saturdays and Sundays. Once I have finished writing, I will upload a chapter on Wednesdays aswell so this story is completed for my (if any) readers.**

**Speaking of readers, my pleas for reviews seem to have fallen on deaf ears. While I appreciate people watching this and favouriting, I need feedback on what I am writing. All authors need this to be able to cater to their audiences, and as it stands with me I dont know if I even have ab audience.**

**However I will thank 'The Comic Tamer' for their review after I sent my first plea, and 'Deathbyheadshot' for reviewing a little while ago. To answer your questions 'The Comic Tamer', the last chapter (and this one actually) were written to portray the tension the characters are under, jumping to conclusions without propper knowledge. I hope I am not overdoing it, I'm not after an emo story but I feel the need for strong portrayals of emotions in this part to explain the need for the next section of the story, which you will see tommorrow. But without sounding ungrateful, a review is critism on how the story is written and how the plot is developing, not a question and answer exchange. Again, I'm not wanting to sound ungrateful, but critism helps no end.**

**As a final note on why I want reviews, there are possible plans for a sequel for this story, as well as two other stories set in the Tamer storyline that I have idead for and a started plot line for each. But I will stress that I will not begin work on any of those unless this story has enough good points about it. While I write for my own enjoyment (and try to let others share in that enjoyment), there is no point in me writing anything if no one is reading it, or if no one likes it. So if you want to see the end on this story, it's sequel or my two other stories posted on here, leave a review.**

**Long Author's note this time I'm afraid, but without further pause, here is chapter 29**

* * *

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 29

The door to Renamon's room closed silently after she and Zero entered, both unnaturally quiet after their earlier ordeal. By unspoken consent they returned to the bed, keeping a slight gap between each other as they laid down.

No matter how hard he tried, Zero could not tear his mind from what he almost did. He had almost lost everything due to his own foolish assumptions. He tried to remember the day they first met, the day they admitted their feelings for each other, or the times they acted on those feelings. But nothing worked. His mind was more stubborn than he himself was.

Renamon was faring better, trying to think of things for them to do whilst making sure Rika was kept happy and remain safe. She knew her tamer wouldn't be very happy with them going off on their own without her, but Renamon wouldn't let her have much choice. She could sense the tension in Zero's body. He needed time away more than anyone.

Zero was tense. He had never felt so tense before, his entire body felt like it was coated in concrete. All of the events in his life were weighing heavily on him, so many set backs in such a short amount of time. Was there someone else out there with a life similar to his, with so many things going on? He doubted it, luck would have his life to be filled with misfortune and pitfalls. All the more reason to get away.

The constant fighting was grating on him as well. More and more rogues were coming through and needed his attention. He had never fought so many digimon before he came here, in fact he never fought any digimon before he arrived in this world. How things have changed. Deprived of his childhood, robbed of his family and forced into a new world at a young age. There was only so much anyone's mind could take, and his was at breaking point. This morning was proof of that.

"Zero?" Renamon's voice cut through the silence, shaking him from his thoughts.

"Yes, Renamon?"

"...Um, are you Ok?"

Zero gave a quizzical look as he turned to face her.

"I'm not sure how to answer that really. And for the record, 'Um' doesn't suit you."

His response stunned her slightly. She was expecting a short answer, not a vague dodge with a joke at her question.

"Well that was a unique way to avoid my question."

Zero couldn't help but smile at this. He had to admit that was how it seemed.

"Heh, I guess your right. But it doesn't change the fact that I don't know how I feel. There has been too much going on in my life lately and I don't know how much more I can take honestly. It's just too much for me."

Renamon looked into his eyes and saw the answer herself, even as he told her. His eyes were tired, ringed with fatigue from his ordeal. She could tell he was close to breaking point, in truth she didn't feel any better herself. This life they shared was too turbulent to just keep plowing on, they needed to unwind. Literally in Zero's case, as he was currently so lost in himself he had twisted his body around so much he had practically tied himself up in a knot.

Renamon placed a paw on his shoulder to shake him back to awareness.

"Well for starters you might want to untie yourself from yourself."

Zero blinked a couple of times in obvious confusion, until he felt dull aches and pains all over his body. Upon closer inspection he noticed he was tied up by his own limbs.

"Wha..."

Renamon laughed slightly at his reaction before attempting to untie him as he struggled to free himself from his self prison. It took a few minutes of contortions until he was finally sorted, brushing down his fur to correct himself.

"I think that proves what I thought. We need time away from all this. No near death situations. No rogue digimon looking for a fight." She went thoughtful for a second before continuing with a sight smirk on her muzzle. "No Terriermon calling you a certain name..."

Zero growled at that, causing her to smirk further. But he had to admit that sounded like a good idea.

"What about Rika? She is your tamer after all. I'm sure she won't be happy with you just disappearing for any length of time."

Renamon grew serious before answering. "Leave that to me. I'll have to make her understand that we need this."

"Good luck with that..."

Renamon roller her eyes and lightly punched him in his shoulder. He gave a mock hurt face before pouncing on her, eliciting a strange giggle from her as they began to roll around on the bed. Each fighting for the dominant position whilst trying to pin the other.

They were interrupted by Rika knocking on the door. Quicker than the eye could follow, they separated from each other and smoothed their fur down before Renamon answered the door.

Rika gave an impassive face.

"You two quite finished?"

"Why? You want to join us?" Zero's seemingly innocent question came from behind Renamon. Rika looked past her partner and saw him lying on the bed in a slightly provocative position, causing Rika to blush slightly given his choice of words.

"N-no, you dumb fox! You keep your 'activities' with Renamon between you two, I want no part of them."

Zero's smirk could be felt all the way across the room.

"You don't sound very convinced..."

Rika turned another shade of red before turning around and taking a few steps away.

"Renamon, can I speak to you for a minute?"

Her partner regained her composure after her mate's comments and followed Rika, closing the door behind her. They walked for a minute or two until they were on the other side of the house.

"Renamon?"

Her partner turned to her, slightly worried by her tone of voice. She seemed concerned about something.

"Yes Rika?"

"How is he?"

Renamon blinked.

"Zero?"

"Yeah, how is he?"

"This isn't about his comment just now is it?"

Rika frantically shook her head.

"I mean in general. With all that's gone on with him, I want to make sure he's Ok."

"I appreciate you showing concern for him, I am confused as to why you are. He isn't your partner so-"

"But he is your mate." Rika cut her off. "Not only that, but he is our friend. All of us are concerned for him. If he had a tamer then maybe we wouldn't worry so much, but he doesn't. And I'm not sure he wants one either."

"You're right, he doesn't. But to answer your question, no. He isn't Ok, he's anything but Ok at the moment. Things are getting to him more than we realise, and more than he will admit to." She then explained what happened earlier that morning, as well as their short conversation when they got back.

Rika's expression grew more concerned with each word, turning to horror when she heard how close he had come to ending himself.

"That's why I think me and him need to get away for a little while. I was going to ask you earlier, but you beat me to it. He's on the edge at the moment, any slight provocation could snap him. It also explains some of his behaviour towards Terriermon the other night."

Rika couldn't help but agree with her partner, Zero's health was important to Renamon. That's not to say the others weren't concerned about him, but she was always more caring for him than them given their relationship status.

"I'm sure Takato and Henry can hold the fort, so to speak, while you sort him out. We're going to need him at his peak if things carry on the way they are at the moment."

Renamon breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you Rika. This means a lot."

"I just hope it doesn't take too long, those two are going to do my head in while you're gone." Rika could already feel the headache forming. "Oh, and make sure he stops making comments like he did earlier. It's very uncomfortable."

Renamon smiled slightly, that was a trait Zero had that no one could break. With their conversation over, she returned to her room as her tamer went off on her morning routine. She opened her door to find Zero still laying on the bed in that same pose. She struggled to calm herself from the rather inviting image in front of her.

"Are you going to lie there all day?"

"You got a problem with that, fox face?" He didn't look phased by her question, which didn't help her self control.

"If I did?"

"Tough luck."

_'Damn him. Why does he have to do this to me?'_

She could no longer contain herself. She stepped into the room and closed the door. As soon as their privacy was restored, she jumped on him.

"Oof! What was that for?" Zero was stunned by her sudden move. She gave him an impassive look.

"You're the one who invited me with that pose you are in."

"Huh?"

"Oh don't play dumb, you flustered Rika with it earlier."

"Oh, _that_ pose. I wasn't aware it had that effect. I might have to use it more often." Zero's muzzle formed a guilty smirk.

"Only if you expect to get jumped again."

"Doesn't sound so bad..." His smirk grew further.

"And you say I have the problem. Honestly, your worse than I am."

"Don't you know it."

"Smart ass."

"Fox face."

"Sex whore."

"You can talk."

"I'll use the word..."

He shot her a look of genuine anger. "Try it."

Her mouth opened, forming the first sound of that dreaded word.

"Cu-"

She couldn't finish as his paw clamped down on her mouth. He waited till he felt she had finished and removed his paw.

"-te."

"Right!" Zero jumped up after extracting himself from underneath her and pinned her to the bed. "I thought you were better than that, guess I was wrong."

She had an amused look on her face, but his was one of genuine anger. She may have meant it as a joke, but he was not in a joking mood. And that word was not one he ever took as anything but an insult.

One look at his face and she knew she had pushed him too far. Before she could do anything else, he lifted himself off and threw the door open. Without a single glance back he stalked away, pure rage pouring off of him.

She bounded after him in case he did something stupid and found him standing in the centre garden, a faint glow surrounding him. Before she could call out to him he was surrounded by a sphere of data.

"Blood Renamon, digivolve to... Blood Fenrimon!"

He stood at his full height before looking back to Renamon.

"Say it again, I _dare_ you!"

She just stood there, hoping he would calm down, as he crouched down and jumped away, phasing out as he did so.

Rika came running round the corner to find her partner standing alone in the garden, the source of Zero's voice nowhere to be seen.

"Where is he Renamon?"

She gave her tamer a sad smile.

"I think I pushed a joke too far..."


	31. Chapter 30

**A/N: Here we go for today's update. Just so you know, I completed this story yesterday after a huge writing spree. I have greatly enjoyed writing this, seeing as it told itself for the most part. I shall be altering my upload days to 1 chapter at the weekend and 1 more mid-week to avoid confusion or people missing chapters. I'm only posting 2 this weekend because I said I would.**

**Shorter note than yesterday's, but that cant be a bad thing right? On with the story, chapter 30**

* * *

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 30

Renamon spent the next two hours looking for Zero, but simply couldn't locate him. He didn't want to be found and for as long as he thought like that, she would never find him. She even tried looking on top of those accursed towers. She needed to find him to apologise for using that word, she didn't know why she thought she could get away with calling him that in the first place.

She knew time was critical here, that morning was proof of that, but she didn't know where to look. Unless...

With a new bearing she bounded off towards her destination.

* * *

Zero was pissed. No, he was very pissed.

He stood in his Champion form on top of the office building he had hastily met the first day he came here, which was ironically very close to the place he had died. And now here he was again. He needed something to kill, something stupid to wander his way so he could release his pent up anger.

It seemed as thought someone was listening to his thoughts, as a few seconds later a digimon began to bioemerge fairly close to his position.

_'Oh this is precious! The timing...'_

He raced to the blue beam of light and arrived just before the digital field formed. The rogue came through a few seconds after, followed by another, and a third. Then the smell hit him.

_'Three dark digimon, Stingmon by the looks of them. But three? This could be interesting.'_

Zero focused on the rogues in front of him. The two to the side began to flank him while the third stayed directly ahead.

_'Damn! They're trying to surround me! Quick Zero, think! Stingmon are Champion level Virus types, so no advantages here. It will come down to raw power. Luckily I have more than they do.'_

"Blood Howl!"

Zero released his first attack at the rogue to his right. It struck but didn't finish it in one hit, something Zero was planning on. He couldn't fight three dark digimon at once for very long.

He dived forward to avoid an attack from the rogue to his left, then rolled to his right to dodge one from the third rogue in front. As he closed in with the Stingmon to his right he swung his forepaws out and swept the rogue's feet from underneath it. With it now helpless, Zero sunk his teeth into it's exposed neck area and gave a savage yank. The dark rogue dispersed instantly from having it's neck torn apart as Zero righted himself, only to dodge another attack from another rogue.

_'One down, but this is getting no easier. My strength is already being sapped. These are tougher than I first thought.'_

He released another attack at a Stingmon to his left before charging towards the one coming round on his right.

"Blood Charge!"

Zero slammed into the rogue he was aiming for, sending it flying into the other dark digimon. As they both struggled to free themselves Zero released another Blood Howl into them. The rogue he had charged into took the full force of the attack and dispersed, giving the remaining digimon time to get back to it's feet and attack again.

_'These guys don't know when to quit!"_

Zero dodged two more attacks before being able to close the gap between him and the remaining dark Stingmon. Swiping with his forepaws once more he felled the digimon, who managed to roll away before he could stomp on him. Zero swung out with his tails, wrapping around both the rogue's legs and stopping it from escaping.

"Who sent you!" Zero demanded, hoping to get some information before he deleted the rogue. All he received was a guttural growl of defiance. "Fine!" With his final word said, he literally ripped the Stingmon's legs from his body. Well, he started to before it dispersed into foul data. Data that shouldn't return to the digital world.

Zero took the data inside of him and began to purge it, just as he had always done with all dark digimon data he had absorbed. The digital field faded away as he jumped to a nearby roof, out of prying human eyes. It wouldn't do well for humans to see a large three tailed fox-wolf hybrid beast standing in the street.

Renamon appeared behind him, evident from the faint whistle of air that washed past. He made no effort to face her, talking with his back facing her and his three tails whipping back and forth with agitation.

"What do you want?"

"Zero, I came to apologise. I was wrong to use that word, especially with your current level of stress." Her voice was thick with regret as she spoke. "I don't know why I said it, we were just joking around and it slipped out."

Zero sighed. He knew she would never purposely use that word to him for any reason, so for her to say it meant it was a slip up. And with the way her voice seemed heavily tainted with remorse, he knew she had been looking for him to say those exact words.

"A joke is a joke, Renamon. I never did like that word, and never will. But I both believe and accept your apology."

Now it was Renamon's turn to sigh. She was expecting him to fight against her apology, so it was a relief he accepted it so quickly. But it seemed too quick for her.

"While I am glad you accept it, why did you do so that quick? What's up?"

"These rogues I fought. They were dark digimon again. Three of them."

"Dark types again? Then maybe you were right earlier. This isn't just a coincidence anymore."

"We need answers. That guy from HYPNOS may be able to help us there."

Renamon frowned for what seemed the first time in her life. "I'm not sure how much they can help. If these dark types are in any level of the digital world except the top layer, HYPNOS won't be able to find them."

"It's still worth a shot, even if it just provides us with slightly more warning of their arrival."

She couldn't argue with his logic. "That and we could ask Ryo what he knows."

Zero gave a look of realisation. "I forgot about Ryo! He's been tasked by the Sovereigns to hunt those dark types down, so it stands to reason that he may have at least some of the information we need."

"Let's hope he has, he's the most likely to be any help on this. But before anything else, we need to sort you out."

"Huh?" Zero's face was plastered in confusion.

"You still need a break from all this, your snapping at the slightest provocation. Now is as good a time as any, I'm sure Rika and the others can keep things going till we get back."

"Maybe you're right, but where did you have in mind?"

"Just somewhere quieter, outside this city will do. We can't go too far anyway, Rika wouldn't allow it."

Zero nodded his massive head before condensing himself back to his Rookie form. Renamon had one last thing to say though.

"Oh and Zero?"

"Hmm?"

"We're still good right? After earlier?"

"As you said Renamon, I'm tense. The slightest joke can set me off, and I can't blame you for that. Especially seeing as it wasn't intended."

She visibly relaxed after his response. The last thing she wanted was friction between herself and him when they left. Without spoken consent they returned to Rika, who was still at home despite the recent bioemergence. She didn't seem to even notice anything had come through.

"Where have you two been?"

Zero gave her a blank look.

"Bioemergence."

"What?" Rika's face became serious. "I trust it was taken care of then?"

"_They_ are no longer a threat, so you have no need to worry. Shouldn't be too hard seeing as you never knew anyway."

Rika's eyes widened, overlooking the slight jab from Zero. "They? There was more than one?"

"Three to be precise. All dark types too. But as I said, you don't need to worry." Even Renamon could sense the slight anger in his voice. She placed a calming paw on his shoulder, a gesture that notably calmed him down. He mouthed a "thank you" in reply. Renamon took over the reigns of their conversation.

"I think it's time me and Zero took that break we spoke of earlier, Rika. If we delay any further, well, I don't need to tell you that."

The unspoken warning wasn't ignored.

"I understand Renamon. Zero, make sure you relax during this time. We're going to need you at your peak if things continue, especially with the increasing amount of dark types coming through."

"I'll do my best. And can you get word to Ryo to ask if he knows anything about their activity? I have a bad feeling about all this, something isn't sitting right."

"I'll contact him shortly when I get to HYPNOS. Just make sure you'll be back soon. Go on, the longer you delay the less time you might have."

No other words were exchanged from that point onwards as the two fox Digimon went to get whatever they felt they may need for their time away.


	32. Chapter 31

**A/N: Here is today's chapter. No long note here, just read and review.**

* * *

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 31

"Blood Storm!"

"Zero! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Zero turned around to face a very angry Renamon. "Training."

Renamon looked at the now decimated tree that formerly stood in front of him. "We are here to relax, not destroy trees or do training. You need to lower your stress, not increase it."

Zero began to whine, much like he had been doing for the past two days since they arrived here. She had been trying to get him to relax, but all he seemed to want to do was fight or train. It was hopeless. She had picked a fair sized clearing in a forest, far from any public attention and possessing a fairly relaxing view. She had found it easy to relax here whereas Zero hadn't relaxed at all.

"Quit your whining, it doesn't work on me." She saw his face drop even further. "If you don't start relaxing Zero, you will never be at your peak. Even I could defeat you at the moment."

"Bah! I seriously doubt that." Zero scoffed in reply. In a flash, Renamon had appeared behind him and swept his feet from underneath him. He quickly found himself on his back with her paws poised over his neck, claws outstretched.

"Dead."

"Hmph!" He turned his head away, causing her claws to rake through his neck fur an lightly nick his skin beneath. A thin trail of data wisped out of his fur from the scratch. He tossed his head the other way, inflicting other scratch from her claws. She saw what he was up to and removed her paws from his neck, just as his feet pushed underneath him and propelled her off and into the air.

Renamon was taken by surprise by this but quickly righted herself and landed gracefully, only to be thrown forwards from a heavy impact in her back. Quicker than she could track he had pinned her down, claws round her neck.

"Now who's dead?"

"That's not fair, you used our relationship to get the upper hand."

"Real battles are never fair. Rogue digimon don't care for honour, they strive to win by any means. Even if they have to fight dirty. I thought you knew that by now." Zero backed off and extend a paw to her.

She didn't want to admit it, but he had a point. She took his paw as he helped her up. "Fine, but no more dirty fighting towards me. And no more training while we are here."

"Hmph. Fine!" Zero stalked off to where their makeshift bed was placed and haphazardly threw himself upon it face first. He muttered something incoherent, the bedding muffling his words.

"I didn't hear a word of that Zero." Renamon called over.

He rolled his head to her and smirked. "Good."

Her eyes narrowed slightly as the implications of what he said came to her. "I see how it is. You're trying to be smart again, huh?"

His only response was to turn his head back into the bedding and sigh. With his sight now obscured, Renamon pounced on his back and moved her mouth to his ear. Her hot breath made his ear twitch and send shivers down his spine.

"You still owe me you know. It _has_ been a while, I'm getting restless."

"Mmmph."

"What was that?"

"Mmmph!" It was then she realised she was pinning him down. She relaxed her grip slightly, allowing him to turn his head to speak clearly.

"Finally! Have I told you that I like breathing?"

She cocked her head to one side. "Actually you haven't..."

His tail twitched in annoyance before he returned to her previous topic. "As I was trying to say, you're only restless because you're impatient. And insatiable, supposedly."

"Only you would know." Renamon ignored his jab, she was used to it from these past two days. She started to run her paw through his back fur, down the sensitive channel between the muscles that marked his spine. A slight, low moan came from his mouth before he buried his face in the bedding again. He hated it when she had him like this. He didn't like being powerless to anyone, even if it was like this.

Renamon knew she had him where she wanted him, but didn't press any further. She continued to stroke his spinal channel as her other paw began to knead one of his shoulders. Instantly she felt the tension coiled inside him, his shoulders were harder than concrete. Her other paw stopped roaming his back and found his other shoulder as she began to ease the tension from him. Slowly she felt his shoulders give a little as all the knots and coils slipped apart, releasing the stress inside him.

Zero could do nothing to stop her, but at the same time he didn't want to. He could feel his stress melt away as she massaged his shoulders and back. He lost all control of his body as he was forced to relax into the bedding he laid upon. His entire life's tension was being taken from him, allowing him to actually relax for the first time in, well forever. Or so it felt. He couldn't recall a single time he had been able to relax, except now.

All he could do, and all he wanted to do was just lay there and let his mate work out all the stress and tension from his body. Sadly, she finished too soon for him as he let out a whimper at the lack of attention his body was now receiving.

"I assume you liked that then huh?"

Zero turned his head to speak once more. "You have no idea." His voice sounded quieter, looser. Almost as if even his voice had carried stress that was now gone. "I have never been able to relax even slightly in the whole time I have lived. And here I am, after all this time, relaxing. Words cannot thank you enough Renamon."

Renamon moved her lips to his ear again and whispered lowly. "There are other ways to relax you know. Ways that are far more _pleasant_." She felt his body shudder as she spoke, telling her he knew what she meant.

"I might just hold you to that, but at the moment I can't seem to make myself move. I can't feel a thing." It was true, he was so relaxed now his body had shut down. Renamon laughed lightly and helped him roll onto his back, laying down beside him seeing as it was beginning to get dark. With one arm around him, a thought suddenly invaded her mind.

"Zero? How many times have we mated?"

"I wasn't keeping count, why?"

"I was wondering, why haven't I, you know, why aren't we-"

"Parents?"

"Yes, why has nothing like that happened to us?"

"I'll answer that question with another. When we mate, how do you see us?"

"I'm not sure I understand."

"Do you see us as lovers, or parents?"

"Um, lovers I guess."

"Exactly. I see us in the same way, which means we will not produce any offspring as a result. To do so simply means we need to mate as future parents."

"So basically, we won't become parents unless we both want to."

"Basically, yes."

Renamon went thoughtful for a while. Zero left her to her thoughts and settled down to sleep.

"Zero? How is it you know so much, yet are so much younger than I?"

He gave her a sly wink. "Wisdom comes to those who least expect it. Those who seek it only gain knowledge."

"That's deep Zero."

"Pfft! The ocean is deep, I simply choose to know what I want when I want."

"Smart ass!"

Zero winked again before attempting to sleep again.

"One last thing, Zero."

"Argh! Now what?"

She hid a smirk. "What do you feel about us becoming parents?"

"Honestly? I think your mad to consider me father material. Just one look at my past should tell you that."

Renamon frowned. "But you're still here right? You have persevered through all your hardships. _That_ makes you strong father material in my eyes."

Zero shrugged. "That's a strange way of seeing things. But, would you want to go through with this given the state of things at home, meaning the dark digimon?"

"All the more reason to get things sorted then, right?"

His eyes narrowed. "You know how to flip things round on me don't you?" Renamon merely nodded. "Truth be told, I have been thinking on this for a while. Any children we have will not be a true Renamon or a Blood Renamon, but something in between. Becoming parents will create a new species of digimon, and any children they have will create another new species. Apart from that, I feel that it could be the next step in us being mates. But this a choice for the both of us."

"I know, and I have already made my decision, providing yours is the same."

"And I'm sure I can guess your choice already. If you really want to do this, I will have to warn you. I have no knowledge of what happens afterwards, how a child would be conceived and such."

Renamon pulled him closer in reassurance. "Whatever happens I'm sure it will turn out fine, as long as you are by my side."

Zero quieted a brow. "That's soppy even for you, Renamon."

"Hmph."

Zero smirked slightly at her reaction, before stimulating her mate mark. She followed suit moments later.

"If you are sure..."

"I am."

With the final words said, they began.

* * *

In the calm seclusion that was the forest clearing, two fox digimon were curled around each other in a lovers embrace. Silent contentment emanating from the duo, as a yellow and black egg lay nestled between them.


	33. Chapter 32

**A/N: Here we are with this week's second chapter update. I just want to point you all towards the poll I set up on my profile about future stories. Your opinions matter now more than ever, go shape the future of what I post.**

**'The Comic Tamer', I'm afraid I dont understand some of your questions, but I will answer what I can. Most of your questions about whys and whats are answered later in the story, so you will have to read on and see. As for me writing a lemon, ain't going to happen. I'm pushing my writing skills as it is with a regular story, and I dont feel confident (or that this story needs one) to do a lemon scene. So sorry for those who are/were hoping for one. This story at least will not have one.**

**Progress update: For those who dont know, since I cant remember if I already said this, this story is finished. I'm adding the chapters that are left twice a week until this is completed. I have also written the first chapter to a potential sequel, as well as 11 chapters of another Tamers story. Another Tamers fic is in the works for later, but the poll and my profile explain it in more detail.**

**So, on with the chapter**

* * *

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero.

Chapter 32

It had been a week since Renamon and Zero had gone away, and Rika was bored. She hated to admit it, but Zero had a habit of making light out of any situation. He also passed the time quickly.

There had been no bioemergences since they had left, which was fortunate, but there had been a lot of work going on in regards to finding information about the dark digimon. Ryo had been a huge help, passing on information directly from the Sovereigns themselves about this uprising. A full scale war was imminent, and the tension was high.

So it didn't help when they both returned after their week away with something in Renamon's arms, or rather _someone_.

They were all gathered around as they appeared, though it was Rika who began the conversation.

"Welcome back you two... Um, what's that Renamon?"

"Um, well, you see..." She looked to Zero for support. Before he could say anything, the third member of their party spoke with a soft male voice.

"Who are all these people, father?"

Rika practically choked on the air she breathed. "F-f-father?"

Zero tried to hide the awkwardness of the situation behind a trademark grin. "Rika, Takato, Henry, Terriermon and Guilmon. May I introduce you to Dark Viximon, our son."

"S-s-son?" Henry joined in with the spluttering.

"When did this happen?" Takato seemed to be the only one able to speak normally.

"Um, two days after we left." Renamon explained.

"How? Why?"Rika's next questions came forth quite suddenly.

"Well Rika, when two people love each other-"

"I know the mechanics behind it you dumb fox!"

Zero glanced sideways to his mate. "Does she call you that too?"

"Sometimes, yes."

Returning to Rika's conversation, he shrugged. "Renamon's idea, and how could I say no? Besides, it's our choice." Renamon flustered at the mention of it being her idea, but she had no regrets. "But there are more pressing matters. Did you find anything out about the dark digimon?"

"Yes, and you aren't going to like it. Ryo has found out about a fifth Sovereign, one that was banished from power and who's lands were divided up between the other four. We don't know it's name or even it's gender, but we do know all the dark digimon serve it. This dark Sovereign has given in completely to it's primal desires of greed and vengeance, and is amassing an army of dark digimon to attack this world. It hopes that by doing so the other four Sovereigns will be drawn out to help stop the invasion, leaving their domains open to be pillaged and destroyed by the dark Sovereign. From what Ryo has seen though, the dark digimon army is mainly filled with Rookie and Champion level digimon, with only two or three Ultimates. So we shouldn't have too much trouble dealing with them."

"So basically there is a dark Sovereign behind all this, with an army of dark digimon poised to invade our world just to draw the other Sovereigns out for revenge. Did I miss anything?" Zero seemed unphased by the new information, a fact not unnoticed.

"No, but you seem very calm about this, given there is an invasion almost upon us." Henry observed.

"Let's just say I finally got to relax enough to not go mental at all this."

"Well it's a welcome change from before. It's getting late now though, why don't we head home and think of a way to stop this tomorrow. Same place as usual around midday sound okay with everyone?" Takato finalised. After everyone's agreement, they went their own ways to return home.

* * *

It was close to midnight when Rika was awoken to the sound of movement outside. Rousing herself and putting on some loose clothing to remain decent, she opened her door to find the source of the noise. She found Zero walking around, seemingly looking for something.

"You lost something?"

Zero startled slightly before regaining himself. "Rika. I'm sorry if I woke you. I'm just looking for... Ah. This will do." He then proceeded to lay on the floor and look like he was going to sleep.

"Um, what are you doing Zero?"

"Sleeping."

"Don't you have a bed for that?"

"Renamon gave my space to our son, saying she wants to look after him still. I've been sleeping like this since he hatched yesterday."

A thought came to Rika, but from where she didn't know. Before she could stop herself her mouth asked a question.

"Do you want to share my bed?"

"What?"

"Um, I er... I meant so you didn't have to sleep out here in the cold on the hard floor. I can't let you sleep out here like this." Her mouth formed words at a frantic pace.

Zero seemed taken aback by the sudden offer, he really wasn't expecting it. "Um, I'm not sure what to make of that Rika."

"Oh just shut up and come on!"

Seeing as she was getting annoyed with him on the floor, he wordlessly followed her back to her room. He then promptly began to lay on the floor.

"Don't start that, the bed is big enough for us both."

Defeated again he waited until she was in bed before he laid down beside her, but on top of the bed rather than in it.

"Zero, I won't warn you again."

"I'm just giving you your privacy."

"And I'll just give you a swift thwack round the head if you carry on. Get. In. Bed. Now." Zero did as he was told then, an angry Rika was only seconds away otherwise. He tried to maintain a distance between them, but was unable to since the bed wasn't wide enough for a suitable gap. This lead to Rika subconsciously snuggling into his fur, deep enough to feel the uneasy movements his body was making.

"Are you okay Zero? You seem slightly off tonight."

"I'm fine Rika." His tone of voice was alien to her, she had never heard him talk like that.

"Now I know something is up. You never answer me in that way."

Zero sighed. "Nothing gets past you does it? But since you caught me..." He shifted slightly before he continued. "What I tell you now doesn't leave this room, okay? Not even Renamon knows this, nor will she."

"I don't understand."

Zero sighed again. "I'm scared Rika." Her eyes widened at this. He _never_ admitted to being afraid of anything, not since he digivolved for the first time. She could still feel the movements in his body, but now she knew them to be trembles. Trembles of fear.

"Scared of what Zero?"

"Of the future, of what may and may not happen to all of us. I am still young and yet have experienced so much. I possess a wisdom seldom seen at my age, forced upon me by my past life. I had nothing when I came were for the first time, and everything I have gained could be lost at the snap of a finger. My life, my mate, my son and my friends. Renamon doesn't know this. She still believes me to be a strong pillar of courage despite any odds, and I do my best to play that part. But that's all it is. An act. I can't have her knowing I possess any fear, for if I fear so does she. I need her to be strong for our son and for herself. I cannot provide that strength, only act like I can. It will fall to her to raise our son with strength, my role will be to advise and teach. There is so much that I don't know Rika, one of those things being if I will live through this new threat." He sighed again as he shifted around for a second time. "Everyone believes me to be a joker, able to turn any provocation back around to its source. To everyone I'm a tamerless digimon hanging around a bunch of kids with their partners, protecting the world from a threat they wouldn't understand even if they knew of it. If I died, again, only you lot would know, and only you lot would care. My original family is already dead, along with all the friends I knew back there. Yet I am still just a joker. No one knows the real me, not even Renamon. No one, except you."

Rika remained silent during his speech, stunned by his words. She had always seen him as he had described, the strong joker. But now here he was, his true self far from what she had believed. She could see his face in the dim light, staring up at the ceiling. She reached out and placed her hand on his cheek in a reassuring way, only to find it wet. She looked harder at his face and saw he was crying. He had never cried before, not once during all the times where she thought he would. Yet here he was, silently crying in her bed.

Her mind acted a second before her body as she moved closer to him and brought her arms around him, holding onto his body as he cried his silent fear that no one else knew of. She felt him return the embrace after a few seconds, pulling her into his chest where she felt his ragged breathing. She could feel his heart pounding as his body continued to shake violently. Rika tightened her grip on him and whispered soft, soothing words into his ear.

He began to calm after a few minutes, relaxing his hold on her and moving away slightly.

"Thank you Rika, even I didn't know how much I needed that."

"Don't worry about it. Just remember that no matter what happens, each one of us is by your side. You don't have to do anything alone anymore, this fight isn't just your own."

"I know, but I don't think I'm ready for that scale of fighting. I still don't have an Ultimate form."

"We will help get you one, then your Mega form next. You are the strongest one out of all of us, but together we are unstoppable. Us seven are all that stand before this world's destruction, and we will be damned if we are going to let that happen!"

"You don't need to convince me. This will not be an easy fight, but we will stop that army. And that Sovereign is mine!"

Rika smiled. She could see the fire in his eyes burning brighter than ever, promising pain to any who stand in his way.

"Fine, but get some sleep okay? To fight you need energy, and sleep is how you are going to get it. And don't worry about Renamon, your true self will remain between me and you. Unless you choose to reveal it yourself."

"Thank you again Rika. That means a lot."

Unknown to either of them, Renamon was awake and hearing every word they said. Her own silent tears slid through the fur on her cheeks as she realised just how much he was doing for her, for all of them despite the sacrifices he was making. Denying himself the ability to show his true feelings and bottling up his true emotions, just so everyone else had a strong image of him to look upon for their own hope.

He really was the embodiment of what their group needed, able to convey the right look at the right time, remaining strong in the face of despair. Even if his true self was far from what he appeared to be, he was able to maintain that image for the benefit of others.

He was the pillar of strength in the face of fear.

He was the beacon of hope in the face of darkness.

He was the anchor of peace in the face of chaos.

He had a score to settle with a certain fallen Sovereign.

And he was pissed.


	34. Chapter 33

**A/N: Before I start, I would like to dedicate this chapter to my Great Grandfather who passed away yesterday. I'm just thankful he went in his sleep.**

**Enough with the depressing stuff, I have a slight question. If anyone knows, could they tell me what actually happens when an uploaded document expires? Does it get deleted? Does it affect the story it's associated with?**

**Early chapter I know, I wasn't due to post until Wednesday, but events move at their own pace. On with the story.**

* * *

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 33

Zero awoke just as the sun began to rise. He allowed his body to reboot from his rest before carefully extracting himself from Rika's bed, she had moved during the night so she was laying half on top of him nestled in his fur. He strode over to the door and slipped out, stretching the last of his drowsiness from his body. He leapt to the roof and turned towards the twin towers of HYPNOS.

_'Time for some more information before the others meet.'_

He made his way to the HYPNOS buildings and phased into the control room, spotting Yamaki at his usual post. He phased back in as he greeted him.

"Yamaki."

The blond haired man startled slightly before seeing the black fox digimon before him.

"Don't you use a door?"

"This way is faster, and I despise conventional means."

"I see, so what brings you here? You seem alone so it isn't a social call."

Zero moved towards a seemingly useless screen. "I am looking for any more information on this dark digimon invasion. The more I know, the better I can plan."

"Always the strategist." Zero shot him a glare before turning to another screen. "Or is it something else? You seem different today."

Another glare was levelled at Yamaki before Zero spoke. "Do you know anything else, or are you just going to make comments all morning?"

"My apologies, I did not mean to offend."

"Just answer the damned question Yamaki!"

"Right. As it is we have been able to locate the rough area of the invading army as well as its composition. The entire army is made up of Rookie and Champion level digimon, with five Ultimate levels acting as divisional leaders. My guess is this dark Sovereign is unable to corrupt any digimon above Champion level due to their strength of mind, instead targeting the weaker Rookies with promises of power."

"I see, continue please."

Yamaki turned to a screen and pressed a few buttons. "This shows the current size of the army, and as you can see it's quite sizable. But as I just said it's only made up of Rookies and Champions. We have no idea when they will begin their invasion but they are planning for it, which is why we have upgraded our sensor systems to give you as much warning as possible. We can only hope we have enough time to intercept them before they cause too much damage."

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

Zero gave a knowing smile. "I have a better idea..."

* * *

The tamers and their digimon were gathered in their usual place in the park, waiting for Zero to show up. He wasn't there when Rika woke up, which was slightly unusual even for him. Renamon had approached her earlier with a sad expression on her face. She recalled their conversation while she waited for Zero.

_"Morning Renamon, what's up with you?"_

_"I heard you two last night, what you did for him and what you said."_

_Rika paled, that was the exact thing Zero didn't want. "What do you mean?"_

_"There is no need to deny it, I know you were going to keep his promise. But I was awake and I heard every word."_

_"So you know the truth then?"_

_"Indeed I do, but it only reinforces how much I believe in him. I do not feel any betrayal or resentment from him hiding this from me. I also want to thank you for being there for him last night, I will admit I never knew how he felt nor how much he needed to confide in anyone. I am glad though that he was able to."_

_"He's my friend too Renamon, even if he is your mate."_

_"I know, and I thank you again for being so."_

Rika didn't know if Renamon knowing the truth about him was a good thing or not, he had asked for it to remain a secret after all. She didn't have much longer to dwell on the thought as he appeared shortly after her recollection.

"Sorry for keeping you all."

"Mind talking us where you went this morning?" Rika asked.

"HYPNOS. I paid a visit to Yamaki for some extra information, some which you didn't know."

"Like what exactly?" Henry inquired.

"Like the exact location of the army, and the five leaders of it happen to be Ultimates."

"That's all well and good, but I don't see how that helps us. We still don't know where the army will appear in this world." Takato began to grow desperate.

"That detail is irrelevant." Zero shrugged.

"Um, did you just hit your head or something? We need to know where they will attack so we can stop them." Rika gave him a look of disbelief that the others copied.

"No we don't." Another shrug from Zero.

"Zero, your not making sense. Last night you were adamant about stopping this army, now you want to let it attack?"

"You misunderstand. The army isn't going to attack. It won't have a chance to."

"Huh?" was the collective question.

Zero sighed. "The army won't attack, because I will attack it first. A pre-emptive strike will ensure the safety of this world, and grant us the ability to go all out without a risk of collateral damage."

"That's... Actually a good idea. Did you grow a brain cell overnight?" Terriermon asked. Zero glared at him to shut him up.

"I know it is, I came up with it. I know where the army is and how to get there, so I am going to stop it."

"Woah Woah! You? As in only you? I don't think so. This is our fight too, we are coming with you." Rika objected immediately.

"And who stays behind in case some of the dark digimon slip past?"

"That won't happen, with all of us there will be no dark digimon getting to this world by any means. I'm sure Ryo could play rear guard just in case if it makes you happy, but we _are_ coming." Takato stated.

Zero sighed again. "Fine, but don't get in my way. That includes you too Renamon."

Renamon looked stunned, he had never spoken to her like that before. Rika noticed this, as well as a few other signs since they had returned. A rift was starting to form between the two fox digimon, a rift only they could bridge. She would try to speak to Zero again when they had a chance alone, he had confided in her once already after all.

"Father!"

"Oof!"

Those two sounds marked the entrance of their son, jumping into Zero's chest with a fair amount of force.

"How are you doing son? Did you sleep well?"

"Uh huh, but you weren't there when I woke up." Dark Viximon looked saddened by that. "I wanted to play with you, but you were gone."

Zero softened visually. "I'm sorry, I had something I needed to do. But I am here now, with some free time I reckon."

"That's not true Zero, we may have a rough plan but entry to the digital world requires a portal. One that has not been seen for a very long time." Renamon commented, recovering from her earlier shock.

"Your forgetting Ryo again."

"Ryo? With that device of his! Of course! How did we forget that?" Henry's outburst reflected the groups mood.

"Then we need to contact him, which still means you have no free time Zero. Shadow, your father needs to work again. You can play later okay?" Renamon exercised her authority once more.

"Okay."

"Shadow?" Zero quieted a brow.

"He chose it himself."

"Well then Shadow, allow me to promise you that once I get some free time, we will play no matter what. Okay?"

"Yay! Okay daddy!"

Terriermon, who had been quiet during most of the group conversation, decided he would make a bold move. "Hey Henry! Doesn't Shadow look cute to you?"

Both Zero and Shadow turned and glared at the little dog bunny. Terriermon had the sense to gulp as they advanced on him.

"You brought this on yourself Terriermon." Henry commented. His partner quivered in fear as Zero picked him up by an ear.

"You want first strike son?" His answer came as Shadow struck Terriermon in the head, knocking him out. "Hey! Where's my hit?"

"Sorry daddy, but I couldn't help it." Zero dropped the unconscious digimon into Henry's arms.

"So where are you heading Zero?" Rika asked him, starting a plan of her own.

"Back to HYPNOS I guess."

"You want some company? The others can handle the trip preparations."

Zero's shrugged once again. "Sure, why not? I'm sure he misses your insults as much as mine."

Rika smirked as they both walked away towards HYPNOS. Once they were alone, Rika acted.

"Zero?"

"Yes Rika?" That same tone of voice was back.

"Are things between you and Renamon still okay?"

"What makes you say otherwise?"

"Just the way you two have been since you came back."

He looked across at her. "You are too observant for your own good. But you're right, things aren't as they were since Shadow hatched."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Zero once again sighed, he had lost count of how many he had done today already. "We have some time to kill before the others think we are taking too long. Give me your hand."

Rika did so without protest as they were both teleported to a nearby roof for some ensured privacy. Zero sat down despairingly as Rika placed herself next to him.

"Mother's instinct."

"Huh?"

"That's what Renamon is currently under. Placing our son first, which is what I expected anyway. But she seems to be doing it slightly wrong. She hasn't even spoken to me properly since Shadow hatched, let alone been anywhere close to normal around me. It's almost like she sees me as a threat to him. I've never heard her be so aggressive towards me, nor seen her eyes so cold when she looks my way. If I have to be truly honest, I think things between me and her are over. I can already feel our marks straining, it won't be long until our bond is broken and the marks vanish completely."

"What do you mean about the marks?"

Zero bared his neck to her. "See it? See how it is fading even now? I give it another day before is it gone completely."

Rika looked at the mark on his neck, a symbol of pure emotional care and adoration emblazoned on his neck, now a shadow of it's former glory. She could see it even now slowly fading, losing definition as it began to blend into his black fur. She didn't want things between him and her partner to end, not as she had seen them both happy from being together. But this seemed unavoidable, it was happening right now and there wasn't a thing in either world that could stop it.

"I'm sorry Zero. If there was anything I could do, I hope you know that I would not hesitate to help you."

He gave her a smile, weak yet still warm enough to be genuine. "I know you would Rika, and thank you again for listening and for trying. But we have things to do, we have lost enough time as it is over petty concerns. We must do whatever we need to protect this world, no matter the cost."

"Right." Rika stood up, offering a hand to Zero. He didn't need it, but took it anyway as a gesture of their newfound trust and friendship being solidified. Neither of them was thinking of it, but to the outside eye it seemed he was now closer to Rika than Renamon.


	35. Chapter 34

**A/N: Here we are again, posting day.**

**Zero: Yay! I love posting day!**

**True Glint: Zero! Get back in the story!**

**Zero: Aww, Fine. *Sulks off***

**Anyway, I want to re-refer people to my poll in my profile. That and the reviews for this story will shape what I post next, if anything. So go cast a vote, and once I have enough to get a general idea I will start posting the requested story.**

**Progress update: I have completed another story seperate to this one, and depending on how it is recieved if/when it is posted a sequel _could_ be in the works. And as a direct result I am beginning work on this story's sequel, since chapter 1 is already done it makes sense to finish it.**

**So here we go with chapter 34...**

* * *

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 34

After organising transport with Ryo to the digital world and finishing their preparations for their trip, tamer and digimon alike were spending the last few hours in this world relaxing, training or just by being generally annoying in Terriermon's case. Impmon had offered to join them, but at Zero's constant instance he resigned to remain behind just in case anything came through, dark digimon or rogue digimon he would be the only one standing in their way. Not what he wanted, but at least he got some action if anything _did_ come across.

Tomorrow would be the day they faced the army, but today was the day they faced themselves. Each had their own doubts, fears and sceptical thoughts on the next day, though none would voice them. They all knew they had to succeed by whatever costs, but it didn't dispell any negative thoughts from their heads.

Zero had found time to spend with Shadow, but his mind was in turmoil after Henry had scanned his son on a whim.

_'Um, guys. You do know that Shadow isn't a Dark Viximon right?"_

_"What do you mean Henry?"_

_"Well according to my digivice, your son is a Blood Viximon."_

_Zero was stunned. He looked at Shadow with a new light, and found similarities between his In-training form and his son, similarities he hadn't previously registered._

_"How? I thought our data would mix and create a new species."_

_"Maybe it works differently. Maybe there is a chance of two different digimon producing a child that is either itself mother's or father's type. But we are just as unsure as you on this Zero."_

To think another Blood Viximon alive was one thing, but for him to have technically recreated his own race was something else. If it wasn't for the friction between him and Renamon, he would have asked her about it. She had been told about their son's true nature, but she seemed impassive to the news. Almost like she didn't care, and that more than anything hurt Zero. He felt a huge chunk of their bond vanish with that act, and their marks were dangerously faint. A fact Rika had noticed since he had told her about their relationship's status.

Now he was sat alone on a roof overlooking the city, far from any of the tamers and their digimon. His mind raced, but not about the coming fight. He knew what he had to do, how he had to do it and why. He felt nothing but acceptance for the next day. It was Renamon that was on his mind. Their failing relationship plagued his thoughts, he knew he couldn't live without her. That fact was already proven. But he wasn't about to throw himself away just for that. He would live for this fight, die for it if necessary. But after it was over, if he survived, he didn't know what he would do. Their bond will be gone by the morning, it was almost gone now. Maybe he would stay in the digital world, take his mind off her by fighting as he was born to do. Maybe he would come back here with his friends and live with them. Or maybe he would come back to this world, but find a new place to call home. A new beginning free of his past hurts and hates.

His son, Shadow, would be hurt he knew, but Renamon would sort him out. She was already influencing him away from Zero, it wouldn't be too hard for her to cut that final tie when the time came. As he thought of it, was this her plan all along? To have a child with him, then discard him and push him far enough away so he would leave of his own accord, thus giving him the guilt? It seemed so far fetched that it could be true. A lot of signs pointed to that possibility, but they also pointed away as well. Things made no sense to him at the moment, so he did the one thing he could. He emptied his mind of Renamon and focused on tomorrow. The heat of battle and clarity of fighting would soothe him enough to make his own decisions when the time came.

With his mind calmed, he shifted his position and stood up. One last glance at the setting sun and he returned to his home, though for how long it remained his was anyone's guess.

* * *

Rika waited. She knew Zero was out somewhere and she knew Renamon didn't seem to care. He was right about her. She seemed fine to her tamer, and everyone else for that matter, but now everyone was noticing the difference between her partner and Zero. The hostility radiating from Renamon every time he was nearby was obvious, when Rika had asked her if there was a problem she dispelled her with a shrug. Renamon denied any friction between her and Zero, though her lies were getting harder to hide.

She heard an light impact on her roof shortly before he appeared in front of her, back facing her as he landed.

"You okay Zero?"

"Fine Rika, but you know differently by now." Zero stated as he turned to face her.

"Come on, there's still space for you in my room."

He nodded and followed her inside. After her offer last night he found it hard to refuse her a second time. She had been there for him twice now when Renamon should. They entered the room and closed the door. She had chosen to move her bed to another room away from Renamon, who hadn't seemed to notice, so they could have more privacy. Rika had told Zero about Renamon hearing them last night, and had comforted him as a result. It was a secret she wasn't supposed to hear, yet she knew. It only made their friction worse by that fact.

Taking the bed after her, Zero settled down to rest. Sleep wasn't easy for him now, but it would come soon.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Rika's questing words were expected at some point. She had begun to read him easily now.

"It won't do any harm I guess. My link with Renamon will be no more by the time I wake up. If I survive this fight, since nothing is certain, I'm not sure what I will do. I could come back here and try to carry on with you lot as my friends, though there will always be tension with Renamon so close by. I could stay in the digital world doing what digimon normally do. Or I could simply live in another part of this world. I'm undecided on which path to take."

"What about your son?" Rika knew better than to protest against him. She knew he had good reasons to think that.

"Renamon has already put a barrier between me and him, it won't be hard for her to sever that tie completely."

"I see."

Silence reigned for a while until Rika broke it once more.

"If you do leave this city, whether for a new home or the digital world, you don't have to go alone."

"I don't understand."

"I want to come with you." Zero's eyes widened before Rika clarified. "Renamon is my partner yes, but you are my friend. I can't believe Renamon capable of this cruelty she is giving you, and I will gladly terminate our partnership for one with you, as partners or not. Knowing you now, looking under your joker's mask and seeing through your brave act, you are the partner I always wanted. Strong, kind, caring, honest and brave. There are more characteristics I could list, but you get my point. This behaviour from Renamon is unacceptable by any standards, and though I can't change that it doesn't mean I have to live with it."

A moment passed by in silence as her words sunk in.

"You were never told about how I was before, when I first became a tamer. I was rude and obnoxious, always being better than everyone else and needing nothing. Or so I thought. I turned down people's help or kindness with selfish comments, choosing to do things my own way because I felt it was right. My actions almost cost me Renamon on a few occasions, until Takato and the others managed to change me. We formed a friendship forged from battles protecting our home. We embarked on many dangerous adventures, in this world and the digital one. After the D-reaper incident we were closer than ever, never being too far from one another and offering support where needed. Then you arrived and the rest you know."

Zero remained silent, digesting the words he heard from Rika with an interest he hadn't previously exercised.

"I want to offer you that same support we all gave each other, even if it means giving up what I have here to join you. You are everything Renamon should have been from day one, and with the way she is acting now it only reinforces that fact." He listened to her words, knowing he could do nothing to persuade her either way. She was just as stubborn as he was, if not more.

"Your words carry a great weight Rika. You cannot imagine what you are offering me, even if you think you know. I was content to live alone if it came to it, but to know that you, or anyone for that matter is so willing to leave behind so much to join me..." He paused, shaking his head. "Words cannot describe the magnitude of the gratitude I feel, so I won't even try. If I survive this fight, my life here is over. I will not return to this city to call it home, and I feel living somewhere else in this world would be too difficult to attempt. I will not return to this world after our fight, I am certain of this now. But if you do so wish to join me, I will return with you for protection if you choose to visit anyone. Anyone, except Renamon."

"Then it is settled. When our fight is over, my partnership with Renamon will be terminated and I will join you. Wherever you may go you will not be going alone anymore."

Silent tears of joy streamed down Zero's muzzle as a grateful smile graced his face.

"Oh, and by the way. Since I hate keeping secrets, I will tell you this." He leaned closer to her, almost touching her nose with his. "I have my Ultimate form unlocked."

"What!"

Zero almost fell over from the force of her voice. Recovering, he clarified. "My trip to HYPNOS was for more than information gathering. I downloaded a ton of data from their systems, data with no purpose and only suited for digimon from an experiment they were doing in an attempt to reduce the number of rogues that were coming over. An attempt that failed by the way. It was enough data to unlock my Ultimate form and solidify it. If I don't say so myself, it's very impressive." His smile became a smug grin.

"I'm sure it is given your Champion form. Can I have a clue?" Rika put on her best pleading look, one that made Zero laugh lightly.

"Just one. Six tails."


	36. Chapter 35

**A/N: Happy posting day people!**

**Zero: Yay!**

**True Glint: Zero, I told you last time to get back in the story.**

**Zero: Yeah, but now I'm bored. So I thought I'd come annoy, um I mean help you introduce the next chapter.**

**True Glint: Thanks, I guess. Anyway here is chapter 35. 36 will be up Wednesday with 37 being the final chapter on Saturday next weekend. Enjoy this story while it lasts...**

* * *

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 35

The time had come.

All eight party members were gathered in the park where Ryo was planning on arriving to bring them to the digital world. Eight because Shadow had digivolved during the night, proving that he was a Blood Renamon after all. He stood next to Renamon, looking like a splitting image of his father who stood across on the other side of the group. It seemed Renamon's manipulation had already taken over Shadow since he hadn't looked Zero's way since they arrived. Rika was stood next to Zero, but within a close enough distance to her partner, for now, to not arouse suspicion.

No words were exchanged between the eight, except the usual greetings when they arrived, as they all stood in silence. Tension was high, but none seemed affected by it.

Sure enough, right on cue a digital field appeared where they stood. The familiar shapes of Ryo and Cyberdramon walking towards them.

"Ready?"

"Let's get this done." Zero replied, speaking for all present.

Ryo did some things with his devices he had that no one could properly see before a white light surrounded them all. Before they knew it, they were in their way to the digital world once more, but for a new reason.

* * *

"Oof!"

Zero was the first up from their ridiculously high fall that caused no injury.

_'That makes absolutely no sense! A fall that great would easily kill all of us.'_

The others soon recovered, proving their lack of injuries and further confusing Zero.

"You okay Zero? You seem confused." Takato asked.

"Ah forget it. It wouldn't make sense either way."

No one else asked what he meant as he began to walk towards the location the dark digimon were assembled. No words were said during their half an hour journey, each to their own thoughts as they closed in on their objective.

They stopped in a tree line to observe the army with their own eyes for the first time.

"It's grown a bit since yesterday, but still only five Ultimates." Henry commented.

"No, only four. One was deleted in a power dispute before I left to get you here." Zero grinned at Ryo's information.

"Really? That just makes it easier for us." he turned to the others, carefully avoiding Renamon's eyes. "You lot can biomerge to Mega right? It may seem like overkill, but there are too many to fight otherwise. Shadow, you are still just a Rookie, but if you purge their data as I explained to you yesterday as you delete them, you should be able to reach Champion or Ultimate, thus giving you the edge. But don't do anything reckless, that's my job."

"Got it." Zero didn't ignore the fact Shadow didn't address him as his father. Renamon remained silent. Their mark was already gone by the time they woke, their bond gone with it. She didn't seem to notice though.

_'The feeling of betrayal, how I have missed you.'_

Zero shook the thought from his mind and turned back to the army. "Just remember, the dark Sovereign is mine and mine alone. Otherwise, have fun." He finished with a manic grin as he burst from the tree line, running with blazing paws towards the army. Behind him he heard the initialisation of the tamer's biomerge programs as Shadow caught up with him, acknowledging him as the leader but not his father. Sakuyamon, Galantmon and Megagargomon joined them from behind as they closed in.

_'This is it. Now or never.'_

Zero put on a burst of speed to put distance between him and the others to give him room, before he released all the data he had stored inside him. A bright sphere surrounded him as his digivolution began.

"Blood Renamon... Digivolve to..."

The sphere grew suddenly, becoming there times its previous size as his body reformed rapidly. Muscles rewound themselves around his digital matrix as black and silver fur recovered him, crimson claws flashing in the light. The sphere exploded outwards revealing his new form.

"... Blood Kitsumon!"

Standing at three times the height of his Rookie form he didn't look much different. More feral looking without a mane and longer claws, no arm guards or symbols on his body. To complete the look, six magnificent tails swished behind him with a life of their own.

"Nice look Zero." Sakuyamon said, obviously the Rika part of her though. "So this is your Ultimate form, most impressive."

"Why thank you." His voice was much deeper now. "Let's get this on!"

He ran faster now easily putting distance between him and the others. The dark digimon were just noticing their charge and began to rally around their leaders. Zero smirked, close targets were what he wanted. He dropped to running in his hands and feet, flailing his tails out behind him.

"Blood Bath!"

An incandescent red beam erupted from the tip of each tail and slammed into the amassing horde before him. Six large red explosions scattered the dark digimon in all directions, taking out a fair number of them in a single attack.

Before they could rally again, the others were in on the fight. Attacks were sent between the two sides as digimon clashed with digimon, the dark types outmatched by the the three biomerged Megas and Zero's Ultimate form. Shadow was looting the data and purging as fast as he could, soon taking his Champion form as Blood Fenrimon and deleting his own share of the army.

Zero had faced off with one of the leaders, a dark Paildramon who lead a quarter of the army that was in the process of being wiped out. A gruelling fight had ensured between them, Zero getting blasted a few times by the dark type's 'Desperado Blaster' and Zero giving it a taste of his 'Blood Claw' attack, similar to his Rookie's 'Blood Paw' but focused on his claws and not his whole paw. The duel came to a close by Zero unleashing his 'Blood Bath' into dark Paildramon's chest and deleting it outright. After a short data absorption and purging session, he rejoined the fight noticing the other three leaders had fallen to each of the Megas in their party.

After a couple of hours of intense fighting, the army was destroyed. There was no sign of the dark Sovereign yet, but it was bound to notice the sudden lack of minions it now had. However their party was in bad shape.

All the biomerged Megas were wiped, human and digimon alike were utterly exhausted with numerous non-critical injuries. Shadow was also exhausted, de-digivolved back to Rookie and nursing his own injuries. Zero was still in his Ultimate form with small injuries, the data he had absorbed restoring some of his health.

"So care to tell us how you got your new form Zero?" Takato asked between breaths.

Zero was about to answer when all the digimon sensed the arrival of a large powerful digimon, marking the arrival of the dark Sovereign. Zero looked towards the source and saw the dark leader for the first time.

Simply put, it was massive. Elaborating slightly, it was bloody massive. It stood well above any of their biomerged Megas, possibly three times the size of Megagargomon and the same size wide. It seemed to loosely resemble a giant winged horse, not unlike a pegasus, but with four wings instead of two. It's tail was split into three at it's base, with each tip split into two for a forked look. It's hooves, if they were hooves, had midnight blue claws at their fronts sharpened to wicked points. It stood upon its hind legs as a semi-bipedal form, showing it's over muscular chest and flexing its forelegs as arms. Its head swung round to face the party, a deep snarl of rage sounding from its horrific toothed maw.

"Well, that's ugly." Terriermon's ice breaking comment didn't help.

"Looks like I get my fight after all."

"Zero, you can't take him alone." Henry's tired voice called across.

"And which one of you plans to help? You are all wiped and unable to fight. This was always my fight anyway." With those words said he strode towards the dark Sovereign, deathly calm about the ensuing fight. He had gotten half way there when Shadow raced past him.

"No Shadow! Get back!"

He wasn't listening, his speed carrying him towards the dark Sovereign as readied his 'Blood Paw' attack. Before he could swing his fist, the dark Sovereign shifted ever so slightly and released a colossal black fireball right into Shadow's path.

"No!"

Zero watched his son's burnt and broken form soar through the air and land in a crumpled heap. He raced towards him, dreading what he might find. His fears were confirmed as he beheld his son.

His fur was almost completely burnt off, several strands of data pealing away from countless holes in his digital matrix. His arms and legs were stuck out at incorrect angles, evidence of broken digital bones. His injuries were beyond severe, each one life threatening. His breathing was raspy and shallow, he didn't have long left in this life.

"Why?"

"To prove.. I am stronger... Than you, father..."

"You need to prove nothing to me. The fact you carry my digital data inside you is proof enough of your strength." He could hear Renamon's cries from behind him, though he ignored her for now.

"I am sorry... Father... I turned her... Against you... For my own.. Gains in power..."

"What do you mean?"

"Mother... Renamon... I made her... Push you away... So I could get... Her support more than... You... I see now... It was wrong... I still wasn't... Strong enough to... Beat you..."

"Son. We were never enemies. All I ever wanted a peaceful life with you and Renamon. No fighting, no life endangering moments, just us three. Or maybe more... But that's beside the point. I was always proud of you, even if you haven't been around for long. You are my son, first and foremost and always will be. There is no need for fighting between me and you. There isn't a single thing I wouldn't have done for you."

"And here... We are.. I was a... Fool to believe... You were... My foe... It was me... All along... That I... Fought against... My own greed... Has cost me... My life..."

Any more words were halted as Shadow began to glow an eerie blue as his digital matrix began to break apart, great strands of data pulling themselves out of him as he disintegrated where he lay. All that remained was the crater he had formed when he landed.

No one moved during this time, Renamon planted with grief as the others expressed their own sorrow. Zero though had a different reaction.

Shadow was his son, even if he had turned Renamon against him for whatever reasons. He had betrayed him, stolen his life from him, yet he was still his son. Nothing would change that.

A great rage built inside him, a rage long since forgotten. His eyes narrowed as his fists clenched, anger pouring out of him in great torrents. Levelling his heated, hate filled gaze upon the dark Sovereign, he snarled out one final line.

"I will kill you!"

A sphere of data surrounded him again, growing rapidly as his body contorted and shifted within. Fur was ripped off, only to reform in new locations. A howl of rage erupted from the sphere as he changed.

"Blood Kitsumon... Digivolve to..."


	37. Chapter 36

**A/N: Early again, but I figures I left the story on a cliffhanger so I'll put you out of your misery. That just leaves one last chapter to post on Wednesday then this story is done. As usual go to my profile to vote on what gets posted next, and just so you know, no votes = no story.**

**Here is the early chapter 36...**

* * *

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 36

"He's digivolving again? How?" Rika looked on in shock. Though others seemed similarly affected, no answer came to her question.

The sphere of data exploded out with colossal force, revealing a new, massive form.

Quadrapedal in stature, Zero resembled his Champion form now. Only much bigger and much more ferocious looking. The other main change was his tails. He now had nine.

"...Blood Kyuubikitsumon!"

A semi cross between both of his Champion forms, current and former, only bigger. Much bigger. He now stood at the same height as Megagargomon even on all four feet. Upright he would be even taller. A testament to sheer size and power, Zero flexed his muscles.

Turning his massive head towards the dark Sovereign he loosed a deep roar before charging towards it. Summoning his power, he opened with his first attack.

"Transfusion Strike!"

Crimson claws flashed forwards, cutting red glowing lines into the air in front of him before they sailed towards the Sovereign. They impacted hard, but not hard enough to give Zero the edge he needed. Dodging a black fireball he attacked again and again. They traded blows for a while, each trying to gain the upper hand. Alternating between dodging and attacking, Zero's strength began to fade ever so slowly. This length of fighting was taking its toll on him. He had to end this, he had to gain even a glimmer of an advantage. He had one last trick to pull.

Gathering more of his power he attacked again.

"Rain of Blood!"

Red droplets congregated around him, condensing into red crystal like objects. With an unspoken command, the thousands of crystals raced towards the dark Sovereign. Each one impaled itself in its body before exploding, each one yielded a bestial howl of pain from the fallen leader. It wasn't enough to finish it, but Zero had finally gained the advantage he needed.

He didn't have enough in him to use that attack again, but with the dark Sovereign now injured enough to yield a drop in his speed he didn't need much to finish this. For his son's sake he will finish this.

Charging in once more he attacked with his 'Transfusion Strike' again and again, slicing into the dark leader each time. Slowly he brought it down to it's knees, then onto all fours as his attacks struck vital points. He had obtained a few more injuries himself, but he could continue for just a bit longer. Finally, the moment was near.

Panting slightly, Zero stood over the weakened form of the dark Sovereign, sneering at its pathetic attempts to stand.

"You are finished." He struck the dark leader in its back. "You are weak." Another strike on the back of its neck. "I will end you." A third strike flipped it onto its back as his paw pinned it down. "This is for our world." A fourth strike it its gut. "This is for my friends." A fifth blow on its chest drove the wind from it. "This is for my son." Another strike to its jaw. "And this, this is for me!" One last blow right between the eyes began the disintegration of the last dark digimon in existence. Slowly the dark Sovereign fell apart, data wisping away on an unfelt breeze. Zero felt it to be wrong to absorb a Sovereign's data, corrupted or not.

He watched his opponent fade away as he sank to the ground, succumbing to his own injuries. Laying heavily on his stomach with his legs askew, he rested his head on the ground. He felt his life energy fade, it seemed as though the world became heavier. The others rushed to him, though Renamon held back as they got near him.

"Zero? Are you all right?" Rika asked, but she felt she knew the answer already. He wasn't expecting to come back from this alive anyway.

"Never better Rika. Thanks for asking." Zero coughed slightly before shifting weakly. "Looks like I got him good, huh? I guess he won't be causing anymore trouble now." He coughed again. "Rika. Stay strong for me please. You have people who look to you for support, including me. Your making me sad with that face you have."

"Shut up, you dumb fox." She tried to sound forceful, but it didn't work. She didn't want it to end like this.

"Do you really plan on giving up so easily, young one?"

They all turned to the sound of the new voice, only to behold the Sovereign of the east, Azulongmon.

"Azulongmon, what are you doing here?" Takato asked.

"Do you think mass deletion of dark digimon goes unnoticed, let alone the deletion of the dark Sovereign itself?"

"I suppose not, why are you here now though? With the termination of the dark Sovereign and its army there is no reason for you to be here."

"On the contrary, I am here to meet the reason for its destruction. And I assume that's you." Azulongmon stated looking at Zero.

"That it would, my Sovereign. But I fear any further words won't be heard by myself, I have paid my price to save these worlds and those who reside within them. I will gladly go."

"You still have so much to learn, young one." Azulongmon then lowered his snout towards Zero's form as a trail of white data streaked between the two. Zero shuddered and groaned in agony as the trail danced across his injuries, leaving behind unmarked pristine fur. After all his injuries seemed to vanish, the Sovereign of the east resumed his previous stance.

"Now we can speak without you dying on us."

"I am in your debt, my Sovereign."

"Wrong again, young one. It is us, the four Sovereigns who are in _your_ debt. You have rid this world of a great threat and prevented that same threat from reaching the real world, a feat none of us could do ourselves despite our obvious power. For that, we have a proposition for you." As he finished, the other three Sovereigns appeared beside Azulongmon, each offering their thanks to the party but mainly to Zero.

Rika didn't hear much of their words, she was too glad that Azulongmon had saved Zero from his death. But she did catch their offer to him.

"Blood Kyuubikitsumon..."

"Zero, please. It's so much easier."

Azulongmon chuckled. "That it is. A digimon with a name, very interesting. Well then. Zero, with the power we each possess and for your actions here in stopping a great evil from conquering both worlds, we the four Sovereigns of the digital world and acting representatives of Fanglongmon himself, grant you Sovereignty over the real world, should you accept it."

Zero was speechless. Here he was, on the brink of death again as he thought he would be after this fight, being brought back to health by a Sovereign no less. And now, he was being offered Sovereignty over the real world? It was too much to take in. He had done this with no reward even in question. Just the knowledge that he had defeated an evil was reward enough, let alone this.

"Forgive me my Sovereigns, I don't know what to say. I never expected to even walk away from this, this is too much."

"We understand Zero, you fought this fight with your own survival taking a back seat. This is why we have offered you this. You have shown qualities of a true leader despite your past. And yes, we do know of your village and regret that there was nothing we could have done in time." Zhuqaimon stated, showing his regret visually by hanging his head.

"The past is done, I cannot change that. There is no point dwelling on what could have been."

"Wise words from someone so young. Our offer still stands should you choose to accept it." Azulongmon once more offering their proposal.

Zero looked at the four Sovereigns before him then back to his party. Addressing all present, he raised his head. "If I may have a moment alone, with Rika."

"Of course Zero. Take as long as you require." Zhuqaimon said as the four Sovereigns backed away. The remaining party members looked confused by Zero's desire to speak to Rika alone, but also backed off to give him the privacy he requested. Only Rika didn't move from where she stood as Zero turned to her.

"Rika. I would ask your opinion on this. You said you would like to join me after all this if I survived, so you have a say as well."

"Zero, I am honoured that you feel you need my permission to make this choice, but it isn't mine to make." Rika became saddened. "When I biomerged with Renamon, I felt how she was towards you. What you experience from her is only the surface of it, I am just glad you never have to receive the full force of it. I know hearing this isn't what you want, but I'm saying it because I will come with you no matter what choice you make, Sovereign on not. The choice is yours Zero, but you have my support and companionship either way."

"Thank you Rika." Zero said with a genuine smile. "Looks like we are in for a wild ride now."

Before Rika could ask what he meant, Zero called the others back.

"I have decided."

Azulongmon lifted his head to gaze down upon the black fox. "And what choice have you decided upon?"

"I accept your offer, as long as I am not bound to one world or another. I wish for free will to travel between as I see fit."

Zhuqaimon laughed. "That is part of being the Sovereign of the real world. You are required to have a presence in your domain as well as one here as we do. Us Sovereigns are not the pinnacle of authority amongst digimon, thus we are required to meet with Fanglongmon regularly to maintain balance and peace. Your domain will be the real world so you will be in both worlds. As long as you maintain your commitment towards Fanglongmon and your own domain, you are free to travel between worlds. Even we are not bound to our own domains, which reminds me. Azulongmon, you still own me for that match last night."

"Bah! You cheated me out it, I saw your spare card!"

"Enough, keep your trivial hobbies to other times. We have Sovereignty to bestow." Baihumon interrupted.

The others ignored the spat between the Sovereigns as a matter of respect, but all witnessed the discharge of power into Zero's body. He swelled greatly as his body changed slightly, growing more muscular and lengthening his tails in proportion to his body. Once he matched the Sovereigns' size he stopped growing, but his muscles continued to strengthen. A few more seconds passed before silver armour appeared covering his more vital areas and providing him with a powerful look. A red aura surrounded him as his four blood red eyes opened.

"Welcome to Sovereignty, Zero. Or shall we call you by your other name?"

"Zero will do fine, but for the record, I am Myobumon."


	38. Chapter 37

**A/N: Surprise!**

**Zero: Woah! Don't do that! You nearly gave me a heart attack!**

**True Glint: Damn, next time. Anyway, surprise upload! I know I said this would be up Wednesday, but better early than late eh?**

**Just in case anyone is wondering, Myobumon is taken from Myobu, a legendary Japanese fox Goddess. Why not, it fitted as a suitable sovereign name.**

**On with the conclusion!**

* * *

Digimon Tamers 2: The Rise of Zero

Chapter 37

The four Sovereigns bid their farewells as they returned to their domains, Baihumon returning to his fortress in the domain they were currently in. Zero flexed his new form a few times before condensing down to his Rookie form.

"Sovereign or not this form is still more comfortable. But our task here is done, it's time to go home."

"Right, we can discuss everything when we get back." Takato confirmed.

"When _you_ get back."

They stopped and turned to Zero.

"What do you mean Zero? You not joining us?" Henry asked.

"I am a Sovereign now, I should see Fanglongmon before I return to my 'domain', it still feels wrong saying that."

"I suppose that makes sense. We will see you when you return then." Takato said as they turned to leave again, stopping when they noticed Rika wasn't walking with them.

Renamon saw her tamer standing with Zero. "Rika?"

"You go on home, I'm staying."

"Why? This isn't your home." Renamon said.

"And you aren't my partner!"

Everyone stopped at this. They didn't expect this, Renamon definitely didn't.

"What are you saying?"

"Don't play dumb Renamon. We all know how you have treated Zero since you got back from your trip with your son. You have been unfair to him the whole time, and since we biomerged I felt it for myself. You _hate_ him! After all you have been through, you betrayed him. Your marks are no longer present as a result. You pushed him away, yet expect him to die for you. You are disgusting! To think I was your tamer, no longer. I hereby terminate our partnership. Take your digivice and get out of my sight!"

Renamon was broken. She _had_ pushed him away, Shadow had said he was the one manipulating her, but that wasn't true. She had placed all her care in her son and forgotten Zero completely, only now did she realise. Her paw went to her mark only to find nothing. Zero's words from before came to her.

_'These marks are only broken by death or betrayal, and I vow to you Renamon, I will never betray you.'_

He had said those words a couple of nights after he had returned from his previous death. But the truth still hit her. She had betrayed him, pushed him away so far that he had nowhere to turn to, no one to turn to. She hung her head, even now she felt nothing of what she had for Zero. She tried to, but something stopped her. Something that wasn't there before. Guilt. Guilt she had never felt before. She was an honest digimon, yet she had lied to the one she had gotten so close to. She had wanted to spend her life with him, and she had lost that chance.

"I understand. Zero, I have betrayed you. No form of apology can change that or remedy the situation. I don't know why I did what I did, I only stood to lose from it no matter what happened. I didn't want to lose Shadow, not to anyone. I began to place him before you until I felt nothing towards you, that in itself is inexcusable. But I still lost him. If I had of been who I was supposed to be, maybe he would still be here and we would all be together as we should. But it isn't so. Maybe in time things may change between us, but know this. I will never forget you Zero, not again." With that, Renamon turned away and joined the others as they walked into the portal Ryo created for them.

When they had left, Ryo joined the new Sovereign and Rika.

"So fox face, your ego swelling yet?"

Zero smirked. "Watch your tongue, you are addressing a Sovereign."

Rika and Ryo both laughed as Cyberdramon bowed in respect. "Forgive my tamer's behaviour, my Sovereign. He is quite lapse with his respect."

"Alright, pack that in. I may be a Sovereign but I will not have my friends giving me that level of formality, it's disturbing."

"As you wish, 'my Sovereign!'" Ryo chirped in.

Zero growled before taking his Myobumon form. "Watch it Ryo, I anger easily."

Ryo had the decency to gulp and drop the joke as Zero shifted back to his Rookie form.

"Okay, _that_ can come in handy."

"I'm sure your not supposed to abuse your power like that Zero." Rika dryly commented.

"A little fun between friends is hardly abusing power is it. But I suppose I should watch it. Well Ryo, you have our thanks for your help in this. I hope many didn't slip past us."

"Actually you lot got them all. Not a single one ran from the fight. It seems dark digimon are so bent on their greed that they can't run from any fight, even if it means certain death for them."

"That's good, it means none got to the real world then."

"Sure does. Anyway we should be going. Azulongmon has another assignment for us I'm sure. Catch you two around." Ryo called back as he and Cyberdramon left, heading east to Azulongmon's domain.

Zero stood next to Rika as they both contemplated their new stations. Zero as the Sovereign of the real world and Rika as a former tamer leaving her home behind to spend her life keeping Zero company.

Zero broke the silence first.

"I suppose we should go see Fanglongmon. I don't think it's wise to keep him waiting too long. Then we should go back to the real world to inform your mother of your choice and get the things you may need for spending lengths of time in this world."

"Yeah, I guess we should. But it's a long way."

"Lucky for you that I'm a Sovereign then." Zero said with a smirk as he shifted into Myobumon. "Climb on."

After a few attempts to scale his massive form, with his help, Rika sat behind Zero's head as he stood. She became slightly dizzy from the height but soon adjusted.

"Brace yourself Rika, this could be rough. Open! Sovereign Gate!"

A rip formed in front of them as Zero stepped forwards, disappearing into the tear as it sealed behind them. A short while after a rip opened in Fanglongmon's lair as Zero stepped out, shaking himself carefully to avoid throwing Rika off as he straightened his fur.

"Well, that was certainly different. I feel all tingly now."

"You and me both, that was a rush!"

A deep boom returned them to where they were as Fanglongmon stepped towards them into the light.

"Ah, Myobumon. Or should I call you Zero?"

"Whatever pleases you my lord." Zero said as he bowed.

"Such respect, not even Azulongmon calls me that. But Zero sounds easier so I think I'll stick with that. Now, what bring you here so soon?"

"I believed it best to seek you out before I do anything else, my lord. I'm sure a new Sovereign running around without seeing you first is a sure way to anger you."

Fanglongmon laughed, a deep booming echo in such a confined area. "My anger is never directed at anyone, deserving or not. You have nothing to fear by not seeing me first, but I am glad you did so. It allows me to formally welcome you as one of my Sovereigns with my own words rather than an interpretation. You are free to do as you see fit. And you, human, you wish to accompany my newest Sovereign on his travels do you not?"

"I do, Fanglongmon."

"Very well. The path of a Sovereign can be lonely at times, companionship will be a welcome reprieve I'm sure. You may go, you only need to see me when I summon you. And believe me, you will know when I do."

"Thank you, my lord."

With those final words, Zero turned away and opened another Sovereign Gate to the real world. Sadly he forgot to take a less obvious form before he did and set off every alarm in HYPNOS as a very large digimon just appeared in the park.

"Oh damn! Hold on Rika!" Zero quickly realised his mistake and shifted to his Rookie form, catching Rika as he did so. "I need to remember that. People don't want to see a giant armoured nine tailed black fox standing in the park."

"Yeah, and next time let me down first you dumb fox!"

"I should head to Yamaki to stop him freaking out about my return. Wanna come with?"

"Do you really need to ask?"

Zero shrugged "It's polite to do so, Rika."

"Then let's go."

End.

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**A/N: And that's it! End. Finish.**

**Zero: Or is it? You decide. Visit our profile and vote on what to do next. Your opinions count here. No votes = no stories. Not enough votes = no stories. The more votes the better. Leave reviews for this one and vote on the next. That's how you'll get more out of us. Get to it people!**

**True Glint: Us? There's an 'us' now?**

**Zero: Yes. You write it, I'm in it.**

**True Glint: Oh, and I see how much hard work that is for you eh? Whatever. So people. Review. Vote. Eat cookies, but not mine.**

**Zero: Yeah, that's my job.**

**True Glint: Zero! Shut it, I'm trying to get a message out here. I want to take this time to thank my reviewers and followers. You may be few, but you are there either way. This early upload was for you. Get others to review and vote and that'll be something worth rewarding, maybe.**

**I'm also planning a small one-shot on a what if senario. What if Zero wasn't made a sovereign? Oh the implications... Soooooooooo tempting...**

**So, until the next time, it's farewell from Zero.**

**Zero: Farewell!**

**True Glint: And farewell from me. Farewell!**


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